Filash Cogfizz and the Deeprun Chart
by Archerlord
Summary: Filash Cogfizz always dreamed of becoming a great hunter despite being a gnome. To accomplish this, he trains under Olg Wildbeer, dwarven cartographer and hunter past his prime. Yet, when Olg's past starts to catch up with him, they must race to recover a map that could expose Ironforge. Will Filash be able to retrieve the Deeprun Chart or will he fall short of his goal?
1. The Hunt

Filash Cogfizz was never too fond of the hunting grounds in eastern Loch Modan. Granted, in Khaz Modan, the only places to hunt asides from this region would be Dun Morogh. The land was much harsher with freezing snow and fierce beasts roaming the land. An unprepared hunter would make for a tasty meal for an arctic bear if they lived long enough to find one. When stepping off the road, the cold alone may be enough to kill someone, especially when the sun sets. With the dwarves being the only real exception, only a true hunter could hunt in Dun Morogh. Filash knew that he was one of these true hunters, but when anyone saw him, they never saw a hunter.

Instead, everyone saw a gnome who should have no business as a hunter.

Filash was never ashamed to be a gnome. Never once had he thought about being a dwarf or elf. Of course, it was hard to call him a gnome. Physically, he passed the part. He was very short with most of the beasts he hunt being bigger than him. His green hair grew out from the back, reaching the bottom of his neck, yet was cut short at the front so he could see where he was aiming his rifle. He was well toned for a gnome but an average dwarf could easily surpass him.

Yet, he did not have the skill that most of his people had. Asides from his rifle, Filash was very inexperienced when it comes to the technology his people designed. He was not as intelligent or bright compared to his peers. Yet, he did not care. Most gnomes did not understand how to use a hunting rifle or how to track a wild boar with their senses. He was not like the rest of his people yet he was smart in his own way.

Filash had Olg Wildbeer to thank for that. The gnome knew Olg ever since he was a child and grew up listening to his hunting stories. Looking back on his youth, the stories the old dwarf told were now his second favorite, the first being the hunts Hemet Nesingwary writes about in his books. Still, Filash would not have asked for a better teacher than Olg. Yet, as he grew older, the dwarf stepped away from hunting and started to take up cartography. His maps focused on detailing small, beaten paths that many would overlook as a way to assist hunters across Khaz Modan. The two would work together in finding these paths: Filash did the hunting and Olg drew out the map.

Looking behind his shoulder, Filash finally saw that Olg caught up. He was a head taller than the gnome but was usually hunched over. He went bald long ago but still sported a long, gray beard. His face was wrinkled heavily, showing his age. He wore thick leather armor that Filash copied for his own clothing and carried their camping gear on his back and a rifle in his hands, although it was currently being used as a walking stick. Hunched over, the elderly dwarf started to breath heavily with his student turning to face him.

"I just need time te rest, laddie," Olg wheezed, setting himself down next to a tree. "Not that it matters much. No animals te hunt right now."

"There's no animals around because there's a bear nearby," Filash declared. "Remember what you taught me?"

"Of course I do," Olg smiled. "Yet ye know I'm not th' same dwarf anymore. Me old bones need te rest."

"Well, my bones don't need to rest," Filash crossed his arms. "If we stick around in one spot for too long, the bear might get away!"

"Well, if yer 'n such a hurry, 'en go on without me, lad," Olg told the gnome. "Ye can look after yerself. Th' same goes fer me. I'll be able te catch up with ye soon."

"By the time you catch up with me, I'll have taken that bear down," Filash grinned, starting to walk off.

"Don't ye git cocky now, lad," Olg cautioned, "If ye do, th' bear will git ye without a problem."

Filash shrugged, continuing on by himself. This was not the first time Olg gave him the same warning but it did not apply to him. Unlike the dwarf, he was young and in his prime. He was going to be careful, which was why he was certain that bear was going down. It would make for a grand story to tell Olg when the old dwarf finally caught up to the gnome.

After a few minutes of walking, Filash noticed a trail of animal footprints heading to his left. Kneeling down by it, the gnome quickly determined that it was a bear, and it was not too far away. Standing back up, he pulled out his rifle and silently followed the footprints. He took his time, wishing to catch his prey off guard but not to alert it to his presence. Shortly later, he came up upon a clearing and eyed his target.

It was a hulking beast with the darkest black fur that the gnome has ever seen before. Filash was glad that it had yet to realize that he was here, its back turned to him while it walked away from him.. Aiming his rifle towards the bear, he realized that his shot was not that great. A smart hunter would try moving around the bear in a wide radius to find a better shot. Yet, Filash grinned, considering himself smarter than most hunters. He whistled loudly in an attempt to catch the bear's attention. It worked with the lumbering beast now turning towards the hunter.

When its side was facing him, the gnome pulled the trigger.

The bullet flew true, striking the bear. The beast collapsed onto the ground, unmoving. Filash made his way towards his bounty, not wasting any time. As far as he was concerned, his prey was now finished. Standing right next to it, he looked down upon the animal, proud of his latest kill. Then, he noticed that where the bullet struck the bear was not too vital. He thought he struck the neck but it turns out he only struck its front arm.

Then, he heard the growl, and fear quickly took over his mind as he tried to make his escape.

Unfortunately, despite being wounded, the bear was quick enough to pounce on the gnome, trying to sink his teeth into flesh. Filash quickly raised his rifle, having the bear bite down on it instead of himself. Now, he had to worry about the massive beast crushing him, now starting to kick back. While doing so, he reached for his hunting knife, holstered on his belt. Pulling it out, he quickly stabbed the bear in one of its limbs. With it roaring back, the gnome rolled away, although he was forced to leave behind his rifle and knife.

The bear recovered, growling towards Filash. The gnome stood his ground, trying not to shake in his boots. He was now unarmed and faced an enraged bear. If he tried to run, the beast would catch up to him. He could try to fight back but that would only delay his death. While in thought, the bear roared again, charging towards the defenseless gnome.

Closing his eyes, Filash expected for this to be his final hunt. Then, a gunshot echoed throughout the forest and he quickly opened his eyes. The bear was right in front of him but now collapsed, blood pouring from an open wound on the side of its head. Turning his head to where the shot came from, he smiled, seeing his mentor saved the day. Olg stood proud for just a moment, remembering his past hunts. Then, he made his way towards Filash, glaring at him. The gnome then realized that he might of traded one deadly situation for a much worst one.

"Lad, what did I tell ye?" Olg asked, his voice raising.

"Not to get cocky," Filash repeated, rolling his eyes, tired of playing it safe. "Things looked bad, yes, but I had that perfectly under control."

"Did ye reload yer rifle after ye took yer first shot?" Olg continued, motioning to the discarded rifle. "Ye only git one shot with it, lad."

"Well, no," Filash admitted. "I thought the bear was dead."

"And so ye let yer guard down!" Olg criticized. "No wonder th' bear overpowered ye. And then ye stabbed th' bear."

"That was something wrong I did?" Filash asked, trying to keep up with this argument. "I was going to be mauled to death!"

"If ye had time te reach fer yer knife, ye had time te go fer th' bloody kill!" Olg shouted. "Instead, ye just pissed off th' bear."

"But-" Filash started.

"But nothin'" Olg interrupted. "Finally, anytime ye find yerself as th' hunted, ye fall down te th' ground, pretend te be dead an' pray te whatever ye believe 'n fer th' beast te leave ye be!"

"I'm sorry," Filash apologized, realizing the error of his ways.

"Lad, I know ye love th' hunt," Olg told him, calming down. "Yet, hunters don't rush into a hunt. Why else do ye think I have te watch over ye during every hunt. If it wasn't fer me, ye'd be dead lon' ago."

Filash looked down at the ground, sighing. He let his pride get the best of him and almost got himself killed. He always hated Olg's lectures, but this time, he deserved it. If it was not for the elderly dwarf, he would of been mauled to death by a bear. Without Olg, he would be dead long before today. The gnome had the instincts to be a great hunter yet his pride was his downfall. He already deemed himself a master hunter yet was just an inexperienced, young student.

"Now, th' beasts brave enough te stay around with a bear ar' probably lon' gone by now from our little fight," Olg chuckled. "I'ma take care o' th' bear so we can make some extra coin. How about ye go find ourselves a good campin' site so we can rest. Th' sun will be settin' within the hour."

"Yes, sir," Filash agreed.

"Don't call me sir again, lad," Olg reminded him. "Th' beasts don't care about rank so why should we?"

Filash nodded, heading over to grab his rifle and pulled his knife out of the bear. He flicked some of the blood off it then sheathed it. The gnome then holstered his rifle, heading away from Olg and the dead bear. He was disappointed with himself, having made no real progress with his training. He had the knowledge for hunting yet when it came to the actual hunt, he always made mistakes. Filash had a long road to take before he could become the great hunter he believed himself to be.

* * *

 **Author Notes: Well, Archer here with another Warcraft fanfic.**

 **Playing WoW for several years,, I was excited for new class/race combos coming out with Cataclysm. Yet, I was very disappointed to find out that there would be gnome hunters, a combo I've been wanting for years. Yet, gnome hunters finally came into existence with Legion. To celebrate, I present to you the story of Filash Cogfizz, one of Azeroth's first gnomish hunters.**

 **Now, I have a few things to note. Despite gnome hunters being introduced in Legion, this story takes place during Vanilla WoW, a few months before the Dark Portal opens. It is going to be very different from The Vanguard series that I shall be writing at the same time. While the Vanguard focuses on the development of many characters, this will focus mainly on the development of one character. Finally, this does take place in the same setting/timeline/universe/whatever word fits as the Vanguard does. Now, this does not mean that you need to read it at all to understand the plot; I just wanted to note that if a reader of both this story and the series ask.**

 **For now, I plan on giving it a weekly update around Tuesdays. Although I could possibility update it more often once I finish Broken World.**

 **Until next time!**


	2. Ambitious Dreams

Night had fallen when the two hunters had set up camp, darkness covering the forest around them. Two small tents were pitched and a campfire was started in between the two tents by Filash. He sat by the fire with Olg, who had returned shortly after skinning the bear. The dwarf had just finished making their dinner, roasting some of the bear meat over the fire, giving some of it to his student.

Filash tore at the bear meat with his teeth, chewing on it. It was a bit tough to chew on but the gnome was always a fan of bear meat. It was one of his favorite foods now that he thought on it, unlike Olg, who preferred venison. Within minutes, the two hunters had finished their meat, remaining silent by the fire.

The gnome did not dare strike up conversation with his mentor, fearing more criticism from their recent hunt. Instead, Filash listened to the sounds of the forest: the crickets chirping and the owls hooting. After a good hunt, there was always some peace to be found within the forest, he mused. He closed his eyes, paying attention to the serene sounds while remaining awake. Yet, he opened his eyes upon hearing a sigh from the dwarf, gazing upon his mentor, tired.

"So, was th' bear meat good?" Olg asked, somewhat awkward.

"It was," Filash answered simply.

"Yer still mad at me, aren't ye?" Olg sighed. "Look, I understand what yer thinkin', lad. I was young like ye once an' inexperienced. I know what th' thrill o' th' hunt is like. That's why I still come te hunt today. An', well, I never had anyone teach me any either."

"You didn't have a mentor?" Filash interrupted, surprised.

"Nay, lad, everythin' I know I picked up durin' my lon' life," Olg smiled lightly. "Truth be told, ye handle yerself quite well dealin' with that bear. Had it been me at yer age, I'd be dead. It's because o' yer potential that I worry, Filash. Ye could be a great hunter one day."

"Really?" Filash asked, his jaw dropping lightly.

"O' course, lad," Olg assured him. "Ye know, yer like, well, never mind that. I just want ye te know that I'm proud o' ye, lad. So, lad, can ye forgive this old bastard?"

"Of course I can, Olg," Filash nodded in approval. "You really think I'll be a great hunter one day?"

"O' course," Olg repeated. "I mean, yer th' only gnome hunter I know o', so ye ar' already th' best gnome hunter on Azeroth."

Filash leaned back, proud of himself. He did not expect to patch things up with Olg so soon, and now, his mentor thinks he could be a great hunter one day. Five words stuck out from his mentor's praise: best gnome hunter on Azeroth. That is something he could use one day, after he completed his training.

Filash could already see the future in his mind. Following in the footsteps of the iconic Hemet Nesingwary, he would publish books about how he hunted down animals much larger than he was. Numerous hunters would want to join him on a hunt to see his prowess before their eyes. Filash would go down in history as the first, and perhaps greatest, of a generation of gnomish hunters.

"Now, I want ye te get some sleep, lad," Olg ordered. "I want te get back te Ironforge in two days."

"How long until our next hunt?" Filash asked, intrigued.

"Well, we're goin' te have some time te relax, actually," Olg told the gnome. "I'll sell th' fur an' meat before I plan th' next hunt. Afterwards, I'll plan out another path, an' we'll go on it. Easy enough, aye?"

"Aye," Filash agreed.

"Now ye get some sleep," Olg repeated. "I'm goin' te stay up a little bit longer."

Filash nodded, heading into his tent with a sigh. Truth be told, he was somewhat disappointed that they were going to wait a while before embarking on another hunt. Ironforge was his home, yes, but he never did like city life any bit. He preferred being out in the open wilds with Olg, hunting big game. Yet, Filash understood that his mentor had a life to return to in Ironforge. He never had any family but he enjoyed telling stories about his hunt at the local pub to advertise his maps.

Filash collapsed down on his bedroll, placing his hands behind his head while looking at the tent canopy. Soon, he would complete his trainer and go out on his own hunts. The name of Filash Cogfizz would be known across Azeroth as the greatest, or at least first, gnome hunter. But, for now at least, that would just be a dream out of reached. He closed his eyes, and within moments, he fell asleep, a smile on his lips.

* * *

 **A/N: Heya, I'm back, with another chapter.**

 **Right, I'll keep this short. I took an unannounced leave of absence to focus on NaNoWriMo, which I failed, followed by a break to refresh my mind and reorganize my plot notes for my fanfics. We got a bit of a short chapter this week, but that's fine. The first chapter was to introduce our main characters and the second chapter was to establish who they are and how they connect. Things will pick up, I assure you. There may be a week delay though as I will be filling out an important application.**

 **Until next time.**


	3. The Eccentric Engineer

After they woke up, the two hunters set out to take apart their camp before setting out on the road once more. Several hours had passed since they had departed and they only now had they arrived at Dun Morogh, marked by the freezing, white snow. Fortunately, they were covered up in furs, allowing them to endure the cold. Yet, they should have arrived at Ironforge several hours ago. Yet, Olg was taking breaks constantly, becoming exhausted given his old age.

As impatient as he was, Filash knew it would be best not to push his mentor. Olg always joked about how he would continue hunting until his last breath but that notion was becoming reality. It would only be a matter of time until the dwarf passed onto whatever life awaited him next. The gnome decided to make Olg's life as comfortable as it can be in his twilight years. After everything the dwarf has done for him, Filash owed him that, at least.

After finishing another break, they continued on the road, and within minutes, discovered a trade wagon ahead. It was a little bit off the road with a ram attached to the front of it, looking on ahead. Seeing that one of the wheels on the road, detached from the wagon, it became safe to assume what had happened. On the wagon itself were crates with their tops removed. Filash was able to see many sorts of devices in these crates. Although he was a gnome, he could not identify any of the inventions other than that there were no rifles at all.

To the side of the wagon was a small, female gnome only an inch or two shorter than Filash. She had pale skin and long, light blue hair that was tied into a ponytail. She wore tradesman clothes hinting at her career along with a fur coat to help fend off the harsh cold. Her hair and clothing was covered with snow, showing that she had been outside for at least an hour or two. She was currently trying to push the wagon back onto the road yet proved to be a difficult task with a lazy ram and a missing wheel.

"Oi, lass!" Olg called out, getting her attention. "Mind explainin' what happened here?"

"Oh!" the gnome cried out, shocked. "You wouldn't believe it! I tried to make the turn here but the wheel came off. My wagon swerved off the road and my ram is being stubborn and won't pull it free, Now I'll never get to Ironforge!"

"Ye are on yer way te Ironforge?" Olg asked, intrigued. "So are we. Th' name's Olg an' this is Filash, my student."

"Well, my name is Mitaga Twistspark, inventor and trader, at your services!" she finally introduced herself with a bow. "I was heading to Ironforge to sell my inventions in Tinkertown but I can't get all of my inventions there without my wagon."

"Well, I'm not sure what we can do," Olg stroked his beard in thought. "Filash, what do ye think, lad?"

Filash focused on the wagon, looking at it. He was no good when it came to engineering yet he was determined to find a way to fix the wagon. If they could get the wheel attached and the wagon back on the road, they could easily make a deal with Mitaga for a ride back to Ironforge. That way, it would only take a hour at most to reach the capital city while Olg could get a much needed rest. With this scenario, everyone wins.

"Well, I bet that wagon's pretty heavy with those crates still in it," Filash commented aloud. "Maybe if we took them down, we could get the wagon back on road."

"Why didn't I think of that?" Mitaga muttered under her breath before her voice rose. "It's perfect!"

"Aye, an' I can try soothin' yer ram so it can help out," Olg suggested. "Filash an' I will keep th' side without a wheel up while it pulls it back on th' road. From there, can ye get it back on?"

"Of course I can!" Mitaga declared, grinning. "Just hold it long enough for me to spin it back on the axle. Then, while you're loading up my inventions, carefully might I add, I'll use one of my devices to make sure the wheel stays on this time."

"Then it's settled," Filash nodded. "Let's get to work."

The trio set out with their plan, starting with the crates. Filash was surprised at how heavy they were and often worked together with either Olg or Mitaga to get them off the wagon. He wondered how the trader was able to load them to begin with, figuring that she had to have some help wherever she came from. Halfway through their work, Olg broke off from unloading, and made his way over to the ram. The elderly dwarf whispered into its ear, working on calming it down. Filash was surprised at his mentor's success. The gnome figured that someone who made his living off of killing animals would be terrible at soothing them.

Once the crates were unloaded, Filash and Olg grabbed the side of the wagon, lifting it up with both of them grunting. Mitaga put her fingers together, whistling a command. The ram started to move forward with the two hunters slowly following behind. When it was positioned over the road, the ram stopped while they continued to hold it up. Mitaga lifted the wheel up to the axle, spinning it back on. When it was secured, they released their hold on the wagon, setting it back in place.

Mitaga reached into one of her crates, pulling out one on her strange, metallic devices. With it, she worked on tightening the wheel while the two hunters started to load the crates back on the wagon. It was much slower before now with just the two of them, especially with Olg starting to grow exhausted, breathing heavily. Although Filash wanted to hurry, he matched his mentor's speed, knowing it would be best not to push him. Eventually, they finished their work and stood before the repaired and loaded wagon.

"We did it!" Mitaga cheered, jumping up into the air suddenly. "Thank you two so much! I'm not sure how I can ever repay you."

"Well, maybe you would be willing to give us a ride to Ironforge?" Filash suggested. "We're all heading there, so why not?"

"Why not?" Olg asked, a glare clear in his eyes despite his exhaustion. "We hunters don't take th' easy way, lad. We-"

"Now, now, Filash is right," Mitaga interrupted. "You're both coming with me back to Ironforge. I owe you that."

"Now, hold on, lass," Olg tried to get a word in before coughing.

"I'm not taking no for an answer," Mitaga declared, grabbing Olg's hands and pulling him to the front of the wagon. "You're both coming with me, you got it."

"Olg, she wants us to," Filash added. "Let's just go with her."

"Fine," Olg sighed. "But I'm not goin' te like it."

"Oh, I'll get you both to like it," Mitaga promised, giggling. "Now come on. Time's a wastin'!"

The three took their seats at the front of the wagon with Filash sitting between the stranger and his mentor. Mitaga grabbed onto the reins, whipping them to send the ram on a trot. The majestic beast pulled the wagon forward, sending the trio back on their journey to Ironforge. Now, they would be able to arrive at the dwarven city while the sun was still shining, much to Filash's pleasure.

Today only reminded the gnome that he needed to be a better caretaker to his mentor. Olg only had a few years left to continue the hunt and should spend those remaining years comfortable. Of course, the dwarf would be stubborn and resist any attempts his student made to make his life more easier. Yet, Filash would not give up so easily. He was confident that when it came down to it, Olg would agree to spend more time resting in between hunts and living his life to the fullest.

* * *

 **A/N: Well, life came at me with a sickness here and a trip there, but I'm back. Not much to say other than that though. Oh, and that I won't be able to update since I will be gone on another trip during Spring Break. I encourage you to keep reading if you enjoy the story and to leave a review if you feel the need to. I could use something to reply to in my author's notes, you know.**

 **Until next time.**


	4. Olg's Secret

Not too long had passed as the ram turned around, now walking uphill on a stone road. Filash looked up, smiling in relief upon seeing the familiar gates of Ironforge. The gates were opened with three guards standing to check on everyone wanting to get inside the city. If anyone tried to attack the mighty fortress, there would be enough time for the guards to give out a warning so the gates can be closed. The gnome had to given the dwarves credit when it came to building their cities. Nothing came to mind when he tried to think of if anyone had been able to breach the city. He was proud to call Ironforge his home.

Even before his peopled settled into Tinker Town after the fall of Gnomeregan, Filash had lived within the city for most of his life. Olg had taken him in as a young child, allowing him to stay with him since he had nowhere left to go. Even as an adult, he preferred the dwarven lifestyle and continued to live with his mentor, helping him each day as he grew older. Filash had visited Tinker Town on multiple occasions, and each time, he did not want to say for too long. The inventions were too flashy for his liking and his people constantly asked questions about his inventions, even though he knew very little about engineering. All he needed to know was how to use a rifle, which he was proficient with. Slowly, the wagon pulled to a stop with two guards approaching.

"Good day, lads an' lasses," the younger of the two guards greeted. "What business de ye have in Ironforge?"

"Just here to sell new inventions!" Mitaga replied cheerfully, pulling a paper out a document. "Here's my identification. So, can we go in."

"Well, ye need more than identification, lass," the guard told her, looking over the paper. "We need record o' what ye plan on sellin'."

"I have that too!" Mitaga checked her pockets, her joyful smile quickly dropping. "Oh! I think it must have fell out during that accident. This is terrible!"

"Well, ye need te provide it or we will have te search all o' yer goods," the first guard shrugged, handing back identification. "We need te make sure that yer not plannin' anythin' dangerous, ye know."

"I know, I know," Mitaga turned around, somewhat frustrated. "Let me check the back! Maybe it got misplaced in one of the crates!"

"While she's doin' that, can we go in?" Olg asked while Mitaga pulled herself into the back of her wagon. "We're not traders."

"Do ye have anyway te prove that?" The guard asked, raising a suspicious eyebrow.

"I can vouch fer him," the second, more experienced guard, stepped up. "Good te see ye, Olg. How was th' hunt?"

"It was alright," Olg shrugged in indifference. "Thanks fer th' help, Dalrig."

Olg pushed himself off the wagon, landing on the snow covered ground with a thud. Filash turned his head around, wondering if Mitaga needed help. The gnome trader sighed after checking one of the crates, closing the lid and moving onto another. A grunt from his mentor had him turn back around to the gates, seeing his mentor tapping his foot while waiting for his student. Even though the gnome figured helping Mitaga was the right thing to do, it was unnecessary. Either she would eventually find the records or the guards would search her inventory. Both were a lengthy process and he did not want to wait long when home was right in front of him. Hopping off the wagon, the student walked alongside his mentor, making his way into the city marked by a magnificent dwarven statue built into the wall.

The coldness of the mountain snow was quickly replaced by the warmth of the Great Forge with lava canals spread throughout the city. The paths around those canals were filled with dwarves, a good many of them walking side by side while having a conversation with one another. Merchants had setted shop across the city with signs for food, weapons, and mining gear being the most common. As always, the inn was loud, even at this hour, with dwarves taking part in drinking and games. Outside of their district in the city, a gnome was likely to feel left out, but not Filash. He greatly enjoyed the festivities of the dwarven people while staying far away from Tinker Town.

Olg led the way with his student following close behind. They walked through the crowds with some of the dwarves offering their greetings to the pair. The hunters were known by the population of Ironforge thanks to the old dwarf's shop and their tales of hunting down at the tavern. They offered their own respective greetings to their friends as they grew closer to their home and business. Olg owned a two-story building with the first level being their business and the second being their home. They approached a wooden door, where the hunter pulled out a key from his beard to open it.

The door swung open, revealing that their shop was a mess, much to their surprise. The maps, which had been rolled up and stored away in a bookcase, were now sprawled across the room. Most of the maps were dirty with large, dried footprints covering them. Much to Olg's dismay, a few of the maps were ripped and torn to pieces. The bookshelves that housed the maps had collapsed onto the ground. The lockbox, containing all of their coins, had been broken open and laid empty on the counter. The elderly dwarf slumped up against the wall, clutching his chest. Filash quickly set one of the chairs upright and grabbed at his mentor, seating him on the chair.

"We've been ransacked!" Filash muttered under his breath. "This is awful."

"Decades o' work, gone," Olg whispered, a tear forming at his eye. "Those bloody bastards."

"I'm more worried about the coin," Filash motioned towards the lockbox. "I mean, how are we going to make reparations now!"

"We got th' haul from our last hunt," Olg reminded him. "I'm not sure if my old mind can remember all o' th' trails I took on my hunts."

"We're ruined," Filash sighed. "There's no way we can recover from this."

"Check th' lockbox," Olg commanded, leaning against the chair. "Maybe we got lucky an' they left us a gold coin or two."

Filash shrugged, personally thinking that all of their coins, down to the last copper, had been stolen. He was furious that someone had taken advantage of their absence to loot their shop. Had the two hunters been present, they would have been more than capable to handle any criminals with their trusty rifles. Filash made his way over to the lockbox and found no remaining coin. Instead, a single slip of parchment was left behind, unfamiliar to the gnome with a decaying tree as the identifying mark. He took it up and read the short message inscribed on it.

 _We come for the Deeprun Chart. You cannot hide from our gaze._

"Olg, you're going to want to take a look at this," Filash walked back, presenting the parchment to his mentor.

"Now, what do we have here," Olg took the paper, reading it quickly. "Well, this is bad news fer me."

"Bad news?" Filash asked, raising an eyebrow. "But they have the wrong dwarf. Never once have I found a map called the Deeprun Chart in your registry."

"That's because I left it out o' th' registry," Olg grunted. "Yer a gnome, lad. Ye should be smart enough te see when someone's hiding somethin'."

"Well, let's just focus on the issue at hand," Filash sighed. "What is the Deeprun Chart?"

"I'm assumin' ye know about th' Deeprun Tram," Olg started to explain. "Even though ye avoid that place like th' plague, the tram was big news."

"That it was," Filash agreed.

"Durin' th' excavation o' it, diggers uncovered dozens o' tunnels that led away from th' site," Olg continued. "All o' th' cartographers in th' city were brought in, an' that included me. I tried te tell 'em that I was no good fer th' job an' that my speciality was th' wilds, but there's no denyin' th' royal guard when they come knockin'."

"You were drafted by Ironforge's royal guard for this?" Filash asked in amazement. "It must have been a big job."

"It was," Olg nodded slowly. "We found that a few o' th' tunnels ended up leadin' te th' surface. Others could be dug in to go deeper into Ironforge. Th' gathered cartographers mapped it out, an' the royal guard managed te cave in most o' th' tunnels, with a few exceptions. Th' remainin' tunnels could endanger th' safety o' Ironforge an' Stormwind, but were covered up by th' gnomes responsible fer buildin' the tram. Any records o' the tunnels were destroyed fer th' safety o' th' Alliance."

"Which means that you don't have the Deeprun Chart since it was destroyed," Filash said, a hint of doubt in his voice. "Please tell me that's the case."

"I kept a copy," Olg shook his head. "I kept a copy an' I kept it updated when most o' th' tunnels collapsed. Ye know how I am with maps, lad. I need te keep record o' everythin'!"

"So, someone is out for us and they know you have the chart," Filash looked at the mess of the room. "We need to tell the guard."

"If any o' th' guard finds out I kept a copy, I'm goin' straight fer the stockades," Olg sternly told him. "This is a matter that's goin' te remain between us."

"Then what are we going to do?" Filash asked, spreading his arms out. "We were robbed, Olg, and they're going to come back. What do you want us to do?"

"When they come, we'll deal with 'em then," Olg shrugged, standing up from the chair. "Now, I'm goin' te sell our haul, use th' coin te buy new parchment, an' come back here te salvage th' business. I want ye te clean up th' mess an' try te see if any o' th' maps can be copied down. Oh, an' if any humans come knockin', don't respond, an' keep th' door locked."

"What's so wrong about humans?" Filash asked, somewhat curious.

"Look at th' footprints, lad," Olg motioned towards the maps. "They tell all that ye need te know."

Filash glanced towards the maps, studying the footprints left behind. It was very likely that the thieves had visited the store immediately with their boots not dried from walking in snow. Looking at the tracks, the gnome quickly came upon the realization Olg wanted him to see. They were large, far too large for a gnome and a dwarf. Although he never studied human tracks, the hunter could only assume that someone of their race had been responsible for the break in. It was the humans that were frequent visitors to the city, and although they stood out to their size, they could very easily blend in as well.

Olg headed out the door, locking it once he was outside. Filash waved his mentor off and took a moment to examine the mess that had been left. The torn maps would have to be discarded but there were a few maps that could likely be saved. The lockbox was forced open and was going to need to be completely replaced. Finally, the bookcases were mostly unharmed, but because of his size, the gnome knew that his greatest challenge was getting them back in place once more.

"You know, given the option of cleaning the shop or wrestling a bear, I'll take bear wrestling any day," Filash sighed, unsure of how he was going to have everything in place for Olg to come back. "Too bad for me that's never going to be an option that I'll be given. Guess I'll get started."

* * *

 **A/N: Guess who's back?!**

 **So, long story short, 2017 was a wild ride for me with all sorts of stuff happening to me. It was just too much for me to handle, so I took a temporary break from writing. Eventually, after completing NaNoWriMo for the first time, I realized that it was time to get back into writing starting 2018.**

 **Unfortunately, during that time, I lost my notes for the plot of Deeprun Chart. I'm not going to waste time redrafting it and instead will go with the mental idea I have going on. I believe that it will turn out to be an excellent story, especially now that the plot is starting to take off. I hope you enjoy this story and ask you leave a review if you feel the need to.**

 **Until next time.**


	5. Hunter and Hunted

About a hour later, Filash was nearly done sorting through the dozens of maps on the ground. To the ones that could be saved, he set down on top of the stone count, using the lockbox to hold them down. Unfortunately for them, many of the maps were in a pile in the corner of the room, the gnome deeming them unable to be saved. The bookcases rested on the ground with the hunter unable to lift them up at all. It was going to be a two man job, but even with Olg's help, he was unsure of if they were able to do it. He was too small for the task and the dwarf may be too old for it.

Filash climbed up the stairs towards the back of the room, and sighed out in disappointment upon finding it to be in a similar mess. The cabinets that stored all of their dried food were wide open with the food spread across the room, now ruined. A quick look at his bedroom revealed that it was not spared from the robbers with the bed flipped over and the sheets sprawled out on the floor. Likewise, Olg's bedroom was in a similar, ruined state. Whoever was after the Deeprun Chart, they were thorough enough to search the entire house, but not enough to find the map itself.

Thinking about it, Filash was convinced that the Deeprun Chart was in the house somewhere. Olg was an organized dwarf who liked to keep all of his maps in the same place upon the bookshelves. Even if the rumored chart was not with the rest of the maps, the gnome did not doubt that it was somewhere in this house. That way, his mentor would be able to look after his possession without anyone taking notice. The elderly dwarf was not too worried about their pursuers coming back, so wherever the map was, it had to be somewhere secured. He knew that it was useless trying to find it or pry the information from him. Cleaning up their house was his top priority right now.

Suddenly, Filash heard a single tap on the wooden door downstairs echo throughout the house. He gulped, knowing that his mentor would not knock on the door. Someone was here, and while it could be a potential customer, the gnome's paranoia convinced him otherwise. The intruders from before were back and ready for another search. Slowly, the hunter made his way over to his room, remembering that the window overlooked it. He grabbed his rifle, holding it protectively with both hands, and took a quick glance outside.

Down below, Filash was surprised to see Olg fumbling with his keys, trying his best to stall while going through his beard for the key. Behind him were two different humans, who the elderly dwarf glanced back in horror every moment or so. The first human was somewhat on the shorter side but was still taller than an average dwarf. He wore leather armor much like the hunters did but was more darker in color. He had fair skin, green eyes, and brown hair cut short. The second man was much taller than his companion and wore a black cloak with a hood covering his face. In his hands, he clutched a crossbow, looking out to the empty streets in case of a threat.

Filash gasped out silently, the hands carrying his rifle starting to shake. The intruders were indeed back, ready to finish their business. After failing to find the Deeprun Chart the first time around, they must have come to the realization that they needed Olg to find it. So, they took him hostage and brought him back for interrogation. They thought out their plan well enough that it would work. Unfortunately for them, they forgot to take one gnome into account, one gnome that would ruin their plans. The elderly dwarf finally pulled out the key, opening the door for their uninvited guests.

"Welcome te Wild Olg's Charts an' Maps," Olg introduced his shop, forcing a laugh. "I'd invite ye te make yerselves at home, but as ye can see, my place is a mess. Yer goin' te want te clean up th' damage ye caused-"

"We didn't cause any damage," the uncloaked man revealed, the apparent leader of their group. "The Deeprun Chart. Take us to it now."

"Patience, lad," Olg insisted, walking into his shop. "My bones are old. Maybe if one o' ye can carry me, this would go by a lot faster."

"Fat chance, pal," the two men followed him in. "Lock the door. I don't want any surprises."

Up above from looking down by the window, Filash saw the door slammed shut, followed by the clicking of the lock. Too bad for them that a surprise was already waiting for them. The gnome ran off to the side of the wall by the doorframe, hearing footsteps coming up to the dining room. Olg was taking his time coming up, trying to delay their invaders as long as he could. The elderly dwarf was giving his student time to prepare. His mentor may be past his prime, but his mind was still sharp as ever. The two humans wouldn't know what hit them when they were ambushed by a gnome of all things.

Filash took a peek out of his room, seeing the human with his face not hidden being the first one up. The gnome could have taken the shot, but hesitated. It was a good thing he failed with taking out the first man, as Olg was the next one up the stairs, followed closely behind the hooded man, who kept his crossbow trained on the dwarf's back. Had the hunter taken the shot then, his mentor would be the next to fall, and the armed human would press the attack on the cornered attacker. He had to wait for the perfect chance to take out the second human, the one who so far remained silent throughout the whole conversation.

Olg walked up to the wall, pushing his hands against the different stones the house was made out of. Aiming his rifle at the armed man, who had his back turned like his companion, Filash could tell based on their body posture they were growing impatient. Finally, the elderly dwarf pulled out one of the stones from the wall, revealing a secret compartment. He reached in, pulling out a piece of parchment. The gnome realized that it was too small to be one of his mentor's maps, and based on the elderly dwarf's shocked face with his jaw dropped, he was surprised by the change of events.

"This isn't th' chart, but before ye try te shoot me, let me tell ye now that this note is in Dwarven," Olg quickly told them. "Unless any o' ye know th' language o' my people, yer goin' te need my help."

"Give me that," the first man grabbed the piece of paper out of Olg's hand, scanning it. "Who cares about whatever this says? We're here for the Deeprun Chart. Fork it over or we'll put a bolt right between your eyes."

"That compartment is where th' Deeprun Chart is supposed te be," Olg insisted. "Look. Ye said that ye never made a mess in my shop. Ye came here before, aye, but after whoever took th' map did. This is yer only clue fer findin' th' Deeprun Chart, an' as it stands, I'm th' only one in th' room who can read it."

"Well, get to reading," the man shoved the paper back into Olg. "You better not be wasting my time."

"Give me a moment," Olg shrugged, reading the note.

"What's taking you so long?" the man asked, impatient as ever.

"My eyes aren't what they used te be, lad," Olg answered, reaching into his beard and pulling out a pair of reading glasses. "I never leave home without these."

"You're a hunter, and you need glasses to read?" the man asked in disbelief.

"It's called growin' old," Olg put the glasses on and started to read. "So, that's what th' note says."

"Get on with it already," the man stomped his foot on the ground, his companion remaining ever vigilant. "What does it say?!"

"It says, and I quote," Olg coughed into his arm, and across the room, looked at Filash directly in the eyes. "Take th' shot already an' get th' hell out o' my store."

"Take the shot already?" the first man asked, confused. "What kind of message is that?"

"He's challenging us," the second man declared, taking aim with his crossbow.

Out of the two, Filash was quicker to pull the trigger, the bullet flying out and piercing into the back of the crossbow wielder. He collapsed onto the ground, groaning in pain and reaching for his crossbow. The first man looked surprise, reaching at his belt for a weapon only to find nothing. Having stolen the man 's dagger, Olg quickly stabbed him in the gut, sending him sprawling out into the ground like his companion. The elderly companion stomped on the second's man hand when he tried to reach for his crossbow, turning just in time to see his student leave his bedroom.

With the two home invaders injured, the dwarf and gnome quickly made their escape from the shop. They ran down the stairs, hearing screams of protests coming from the invaders above. Olg was the first to reach the door, unlocking it just in time for Filash to dash out of the building and onto the streets. His mentor followed him closely behind, the pair quickly starting to run. Within a few minutes, they were hiding in an alleyway that led to the Great Forge, the two taking deep breaths after the chase.

"We're going to the city guard," Filash wheezed. "Two different groups broke into your shop three times. We need to let the authorities know."

"An' when they find out that th' Deeprun Chart was stolen, my head's comin' off," Olg shook his head. "Th' two o' us are goin' after it."

"Going after it?" Filash raised an eyebrow. "How do we even know where the map is now?!"

"Thane Withers was stupid enough te leave a note where I left th' Deeprun Chart," Olg chuckled loudly. "Signed an' everythin'."

"Thane Withers?" Filash continued his questioning. "Who's that?"

"I'll tell ye more about him later," Olg told him, walking off. "Specifically, while we're waitin' in line te buy a ticket fer th' tram."

"Please tell me we're not going to Tinker Town," Filash begged, his face pale.

"Git over it, we are," Olg shrugged. "That's goin' te be th' quickest an' cheapest way te travel south. Now, let's git a move on. Th' hunt fer th' Deeprun Chart has just started, an' we got competition te deal with."

* * *

 **A/N: Although I have good enough memory to remember the general plot of the story without my notes, I am slightly worried that it could be rushed as well. We're starting to get into the action of the story, so if you feel as if I am rushing through it, please tell me through a review so I can step back and slow down.**

 **Until next time.**


	6. Bad News and More Bad News

Filash kept his head down when he and Olg finally passed through the tunnel that led into Tinker Town. Already he could hear the various gnomish merchants offering to sell their fancy gadgets with crowds gathered to look upon the sight. The stone walls were covered with metal and the traditional houses were converted into gnomish homes. At one point, this district was home to dwarven families and businesses. However, with Gnomeregan no longer hospitatable for the gnomish people, an entire district was vacated to make room for the refugees. Had it been a temporary solution, perhaps the hunter would be more tolerant of his own people. Yet, they seem to be content with settling into their new homes, and the efforts to retake their old home was slow at best.

To Filash, Tinker Town was like a quarantined district that should be avoided like the plague. It was easy to talk to an individual gnome, as he was able to with Mitaga earlier today. There were even gnomes that he counted as friends, those who were an outlier to their population just like he was. It was large group of gnomes that the hunter dreaded encountering, which was waiting for him in Tinker Town. They always talked about their various engineering projects and were friendly enough to ask him what projects he was working on. When he explained the various hunts he went on with Olg, the engineers would give him an odd look and wave him off with a laugh.

Filash considered himself smart, just like his people. Instead of putting his smarts to inventing, he instead used it for more practical matters. Let the engineers stay in their labs and worry about whether their inventions would be worth something on the market. The hunter would spend that time hunting down a beast for dinner and sell the rest of the beast for a steady supply of coin. It was a simple and exciting life that was enough to get him by. When it came to survival, he would be able to outlive any engineer in the harsh cold of Dun Morogh or the humid swamps of the Wetlands.

Olg led his student to a long line consisting of mainly gnomes and a few dwarves that led to a small stand by a tunnel. Even though he did not care much for grand machinery, the Deeprun Tram was something special. Walking from Ironforge to Stormwind was a dangerous journey that would take weeks. With the Deeprun Tram, that travel time was cut down to a few hours in a safe tunnel. While he had never been on the tram or to Stormwind before, he was all the more ready to leave Tinker Town behind in the dust.

"We're in line now," Filash reminded Olg. "You promised me a story on who Thane Withers is."

"Aye, that I did," Olg nodded. "Thane Withers was an old drinkin' pal o' mine. While I hunted on th' land, he an' his crew hunted at sea. They took down sharks an' whales an' th' like, an' they mapped out their voyages as well. We had a bit in common."

"I'm honestly surprised that a dwarf took to the seas," Filash commented. "No offense, but your people are keen to their mountains, even the Wildhammer and Dark Iron Clans."

"Thane is a human, lad," Olg corrected him.

"But a thane is a dwarven title," Filash pointed out, slightly confused. "Are you sure it's his name."

"Humans have th' tendency te name their children after other cultures, even if they are unaware o' its meanin'," Olg informed his student. "They're a weird bunch, those humans."

"Are you sure that his name is actually Thane Withers?" Filash again asked. "I mean, I understand the first name, and I suppose that a surname could be Withers, but putting them together for that effect just sounds unlikely to me."

"Hell if I know," Olg shrugged. "So, one night, me an' Thane git te drinkin', braggin' about our latest hunts, an' I accidentally let slip th' secret o' th' Deeprun Chart."

"Well, you do have a loose tongue when drunk," Filash sighed. "Still, if Thane was your friend, he would be able to keep a secret, right?"

"Well, I'm not th' only one with a loose tongue," Olg grinned. "That same night, Thane told me that he was a pirate captain. Should have seen that comin' when he told me that his ship is usually docked at Booty Bay."

"Are you sure you're remembering that night correctly?" Filash questioned, unsure of his mentor's words. "Perhaps you were too drunk to remember correctly."

"I remember, an' I got th' scar te prove it," Olg grunted. "I don't like dealin' with pirates, so Thane an' I got into a little fight. Next thin' ye know, we're both bein' dragged away while shoutin' curses at each other."

"So, Thane stole the Deeprun Chart as payback," Filash commented. "How can we possibly catch him? If he's a pirate, he's surely to be at sea by now."

"He's got a head start on us, but it's not a bi' one," Olg told him. "Poor fool probably doesn't even know we're comin' for him. If we're lucky, we'll be able te sneak up on him an' grab the map while he's out drinkin'."

"A sound plan," Filash nodded in agreement. "Might I take a look at that letter?"

"Sure thin'," Olg answered, patting at his body while frowning. "Ye know, my memory is startin' te catch up te me. I got two pieces o' bad news fer ye."

"You dropped the note," Filash realized with a sigh. "What else could possibly go wrong?"

"Welcome to the Deeprun Chart Ticket Sales," an eccentric gnome with balding gray hair called out as they reached the front of the line. "Tickets for the next tram ride to Stormwind cost ten gold a piece."

"They also took all th' coin I earned from sellin' our lot," Olg told him, stepping out of line.

Filash's heart sunk at the realization as he quickly followed his mentor, who slumped up against one of the metal walls. Without the necessary coin, there would be no traveling to Stormwind City. Worse was that not only did their mysterious pursuers have the money for the tram, but they had their only clue. While the note was written in Dwarven, they were in Ironforge and could easily get the letter translated. The short lead they had in the race was dwindling with each passing second with little more they could do.

In anger, Filash slammed his fist against the metal door of a house. Pain shot through his body as he recoiled back, gasping in pain. The pain would fade away but the feeling of uselessness would remain on the back of his mind. He absolutely hated that there was nothing more he could do to help Olg save his reputation and put a stop to the various criminals after the Deeprun Chart. As luck would have it, the door he just punched opened, revealing a familiar figure to the duo.

"Greetings!" Mitaga called out cheerfully. "How good it is to see you two! That's quite an arm you got, Filash. Heard that knocked all the way upstairs!"

"Well, thanks, Mitaga," Filash's cheeks burned slightly as he tried to hide his injured hand. "Sorry to bother you. We didn't even know this was your house."

"Well, not so much my house as more it is my business for selling my inventions," Mitaga told him. "Although, I am getting ready to close up for a few days. I have a tram to Stormwind to catch in the coming hour."

"Yer headin' te Stormwind City?" Olg asked, starting to stand up. "What happened te sellin' yer goods here in Ironforge?"

"Well, as always, business is tough when I'm competing when the other gnomes, but there are little engineers in Stormwind City," Mitaga brought up with a grin. "More profits are coming my way that way!"

"Well, good te see that yer lucky, but Filash an' I want te head south as well," Olg told her with a sigh. "I promised th' lad that we would get him Hemet Nesingwary's signature in one o' his books, an' I keep my promises."

"Oh, I can help with that!" Mitaga quickly made her way past them. "I'll buy the two of you a ticket!"

"Mitaga, wait!" Filash tried to warn her.

"We'll ride the Deeprun Tram together!" Mitaga ignored his protests while making her way to the line. "How fun!"

Filash sighed upon seeing his new friend running off to needlessly buy the two of them a ticket. He realized that there would be no convincing her otherwise and instead shot a glare towards his mentor. Olg gave his student a grin and slapped him lightly on the back, letting out a hearty chuckle. The dwarf was cunning even in his old age, but the gnome never expected him to convince someone to buy a ticket for them. The hunter was unsure of what to think of the new side that was being revealed to him.

"Olg, we shouldn't have her buy tickets for us," Filash told him. "It's not right."

"I never told her te buy a ticket," Olg replied with a shrug. "Hate te break it te ye, but th' lass isn't th' brightest tool in th' shed."

"And what do you mean by that?" Filash asked, raising an eyebrow. "Is it because of how you manipulated her with little effort."

"Nay, lad," Olg shook his head. "I did th' math in my head. The Deeprun Tram costs extra fer luggage te be carried with ye. De ye remember how many crates she had on that cart o' hers? This venture o' hers is a loss in profit."

"I never thought of it like that," Filash sighed, taking a moment to think. "Just promise me that we're not getting her anymore involved than we have to."

"I promise, an' ye know I keep my promises," Olg grinned.

"But you do lie," Filash pointed out.

"I lie fer a cause," Olg argued.

"For a cause," Filash repeated. "Let's just focus on getting that map."

"Aye." Olg agreed.

Filash turned around to face the line once more, frowning to see Mitaga eagerly waiting in line to buy them tickets. He hated how they were using her to get to Stormwind City, but with the security of Ironforge threatened, there was little choice in the matter. He made a mental note to make this up to her somehow after he was finished cleaning up Olg's mess. If her trade venture was going to end up in failure, the least he could do was try to compensate her for the coin lost.

* * *

 **A/N: Truth be told, I'm not sure if the journey to Stormwind from Ironforge on foot takes weeks. I just figured it might given all the mountains one would have to travel over as well as the various threats they would face on the way there. Regardless, it's just me trying to show how important the Deeprun Tram is for travel.**


	7. Deeprun Trap

Due to the Deeprun Tram's popularity and effectiveness, Filash did expect it to be somewhat crowded. However, having it packed to the brim was definitely not what he was expecting. There were several dozen people on each of the three carts, which most likely exceeded the maximum capacity. He questioned whether a ride on the tram was safe but was reassured by both Olg and Mitaga that it was. The hunter had no reason to disbelieve them, but as the hours went by, he came to the conclusion that safety was not his primary concern, but comfort was.

To begin with, because of the large amount of people in a car, Filash was practically crushed by other passengers. Even though their cart was filled with gnomes, he was still pushed up against the railing. Mitaga suffered the same fate but never saw it as a punishment. She chat with the other passengers and occasionally made a comment to Filash, inviting him to join in on conversation. He would always politely decline, telling her that he did not know much about engineering. Olg was fortunate enough to be born a dwarf. He stood on the other side of his student, but thanks to his size, did not mind the gnomes pushing into him.

However, with there being no seats on the Deeprun Tram, Olg shared the problem that the rest of the passengers held: standing up for the whole ride. Even though there was little movement, Filash could feel his legs weakening with each passing second. His mentor had it much worse given his age. His legs were constantly wobbling and he held onto the railing for support. At one point during the tram ride, he asked for his student to lift him up so he could sit on the railings. It provided the elderly dwarf with some relief until the conductor yelled at him to get down. With a sigh, his mentor returned to standing with the gnomes.

The trip was nothing to write home about either. For the most part, it was dark, steel walls and golden metal beams supporting the tunnel. At one point, they crossed through a dome surrounded by water, with fishes of all kinds swimming about. Mitaga told Filash that they were passing through a subterranean lake, which did impress the hunter despite his attitude on technology. However, aside from that short break from the dull tunnels, there was nothing impressive about the ride.

"Attention, passengers," a female gnome's voice boomed over the intercom. "We will reach Stormwind City in a few minutes. We hope that you have had a wonderful ride and will consider riding the Deeprun Tram again."

"Help me up on th' railin' lad," Olg told Filash, somewhat nervous. "I need te rest befere we arrive at Stormwind."

"They're going to yell at you again," Filash warned him.

"Aye, but a quick insult will put him back in place," Olg grinned before coughing. "Human, cart behind us. Look while yer liftin' me up."

Filash turned to face his mentor, bringing his hands together as Olg brought his boot down on it. The gnome took the opportunity to look at the cart behind, seeing that a human in a dark blue cloak covering his features was looking in their general direction. When he took notice of the man, they both turned away from each other. The hunter was overcome by fear, realizing that their pursuers were starting to catch up. Perhaps there was a trap waiting for them when the Deeprun Tram finally came to a stop.

Olg was raised up from the ground with help from Filash and sat himself down on the railing. It looked uncomfortable and the only thing keeping his falling off was the sturdy grip of his hands on the railing, but it gave his legs rest. The dwarf showed no signs of fear and did not bother looking back towards their spy. The gnome was amazed at his mentor's expertise when it came to this matter. He was aware of their pursuer but made no indication of it that would raise the alarm. It was a hunt, only this time, instead of being hunters, they were the hunted, and had to come up with new tricks.

"I saw him," Filash whispered, trying not to visibly panic. "What do we do?"

"Do ye have yer rifle on ye?" Olg asked.

"I'm afraid not," Filash answered with a sigh of disappointment. "The only way I could bring it with me was if I could leave it with Mitaga's supplies."

"An' I left my rifle back in th' shop," Olg grunted. "I got that dagger up my sleeve. If he tries te get a jump on us, he's goin' te regret it."

"Are we sure that he's following us?" Filash asked, somewhat concerned. "Maybe he's just a human who had business with Ironforge."

"He's been lookin' at us ever since he got on board," Olg revealed. "He's after us, but I don't think he's one o' th' pursuers from before."

"Could he be apart of Wither's crew?" Filash brought up. "Maybe Thane left somebody behind on lookout."

"Aye, but I'm leanin' towards a third party," Olg shrugged. "There are many who would want th' Deeprun Chart if they knew o' its existence."

"What's the Deeprun Chart?" Mitaga interrupted, shocking the two.

Olg gasped silently as Filash looked over his shoulder, seeing that their third companion had her arms crossed with a frown. She was onto them and started to realize that they were hiding secrets from her. Filash was at a crossroads on what to do. If anyone deserved to know the truth on what was happening, it was Mitaga. She could be trusted and has been of great aid to the hunter duo. Yet, the hunter would hate if she got hurt because she was involved with this plot. She was a merchant and engineer with little combat experience from the looks of it. This was his and Olg's fight, not her's.

"Well, ye see, it's a lon' story that I'm afraid we won't have te tell ye," Olg pointed forward towards the stopping point of the Deeprun Tram. "So, thank ye fer th' ride, but-"

"Is that man after you?" Mitaga asked, pointing towards the other cart as the Deeprun Tram came to a stop.

"Well, we don't know fer certain…" Olg hesitated to answer.

"He is," Filash sighed. "I'm sorry, but we lied to you. We can't say much but this plot is dangerous. We did what we had to so you would not be put in risk. I deeply apologize for that and hope that you will be safe when you part ways."

"Or, if ye want, ye can come with us," Olg offered while gnomes started to stream off the carts. "Ye have been a great help te us, an' as lon' as Filash an' I work tegether, we can keep ye safe from whatever danger comes our way. I only ask 'cause I'm desperate. This could be th' end o' th' line fer us."

"You never had to lie," Mitaga closed her eyes and shook her head. "I'll be grabbing my engineering gear. Don't talk to me."

Filash reached out for Mitaga as she left them in a hurry, her stomps her on the metal of the tram. He felt guilty for using her to get what they want without offering anything in return. It was not right for them to ask her for further aid on their journey, even though it would be highly valued by both hunters. It was best for it to be just the two of them, even if meant that they would confront their stalker alone.

Olg slammed down on the metal floor with a groan and a thud. He wrapped his arm around Filash's neck, who supported his mentor as they made their way off the cart and towards the exit tunnel. Out of his peripheral vision, the gnome saw the human step off his cart, and turned his gaze towards the duo. He reached into his cloak while making his way through the crowd of gnomes. It was tough to say what he was thinking with his hood hiding his face, but the hunter was confident now that he was after them.

"Olg Wildbeer," the stranger's voice boomed out as he pulled a piece of parchment from his cloak. "You are to come with me and-"

"Excuse me sir!" Much to Filash's surprise, Mitaga approached the man, holding a small, metallic device in both hands. "Would you like a souvenir picture of you with the Deeprun Tram in the background?"

"Can't you see I'm busy?" the man looked down at Mitaga.

Filash turned his head to face the scene and saw the grin on his friend's lips. She aimed the device up towards the man's face and pressed a button on the back of it. A bright light emerged from it, forcing the man to gasp as he brought his hands to his face, dropping the parchment on the ground. Mitaga scooped up the piece of parchment and skipped over to join the hunters, who made their way over to the tunnel. A crowd gathered around the man, who made no attempt to pursue. A sigh of relief escaped from the gnome, knowing that for now, they were safe.

"You're welcome," Mitaga told them when they finally came to a stop, slamming the parchment into Olg's hands. "This is the last time I'm helping you."

"Aye, I understand," Olg nodded, looking over the parchment.

"Could you at least give me back my rifle?" Filash asked her.

"Not now," Mitaga shook her head. "I have to go back and get the rest of my merchandise."

"Actually, yer comin' with us," Olg announced. "An' we're not restin' in th' city fer th' night either. In fact, we need te git out o' th' city now."

"Why should I?" Mitaga demanded to know, crossing her arms. "I get my own say."

"She's right," Filash agreed. "We can't drag her with us."

"Well, I suppose ye could strike out on yer own," Olg shrugged. "Only a matter o' time until someone snatches ye up though. With us, ye'll be safe."

"What do you mean by that?" Mitaga asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Ahem," Olg coughed into his arm, reading from the parchment. "Olg Wildbeer is te be brought in fer questionin' regardin' a matter dealin' with th' security o' th' Alliance. We don't suspect him te be a traitor, but if he resists, his guilt is clear. Any accomplices are te be brought in alongside him as well. Respectively signed, Master Mathias Shaw, SI:7."

"SI:7," Mitaga repeated, her voice rising as she clearly started to panic.

"We're fugitives of the Alliance now," Filash muttered under his breath. "Is there anyone not after us right now?"

* * *

 **A/N: As our band of hunters arrive to Stormwind, the hunt for the Deeprun Chart can truly begin. With the Alliance and another, shady organization after them, will Filash and his companions be able to secure their treasure? As always, I hope that you enjoyed the story, and encourage you to leave a review. It'll give me something more to talk about here.**

 **Until next time.**


	8. The Race

Thankfully, the alarm had not spread to the gates of Stormwind City, allowing for the trio to escape unhindered now. Unlike the cold region of Khaz Modan, Elwynn Forest was bright and temperate. While it would have made for a great experience to hunt down the native beasts, they had their priorities straight for now. They needed to get as far away from the Alliance as they could before night fell. With the sun starting to set, they only had so much time to prepare. Olg told everyone that he needed time to recap the events and come up with a plan, but until then, they needed to hide.

After walking on the road for a good hour or so, Olg insisted they stopped and head out to the wilderness. It was close as they were going to get with having the home advantage and they could not rest at the next town. He led a worried Mitaga into the forest and tasked Filash to wait until the sun had set before joining up with them. It was the gnome's job to cover up their tracks to ensure that no one could follow them. He saw how important his job was and waited by the road while his companions left.

The sun set a few minutes later, prompting Filash to get started with his duty. He left the road and entered the wilderness, following the tracks Olg made. To ensure that no one followed him, he worked on covering them up such as spreading dirt or leaves over the footprints. Occasionally, he even went so far as to create a fake trail, an exhausting prospect but one that will delay any pursuers. Although night had fallen, his eyes were accustomed to the darkness. The task of covering up their path took time, but was necessary for their survival.

Working in the dark, Filash had some time to quell some of the doubts he had regarding his mentor. It seemed very shady that a mysterious organization and Alliance spies were after Olg for a map detailing a vital weakness in Ironforge. The dwarf was very traditional when it came to his duties and always kept record of his maps. Still, the gnome could not find it in his heart to blame the elderly hunter. Despite the conspiracy he was now involved in, he had a heart of gold and wanted to see this taken care of. The student still had a lot to learn and would continue to follow his teacher to the ends of the world.

It did not take too long to finally find his companions by a campfire that they had set up. Mitaga was by the border of its light, pacing about frantically. Filash was somewhat worried for his new friend. She never wanted to be this involved in their quest and would suffer any consequences they suffer. For all the help she gave, she deserved better. Olg was sitting down, using a long stick to draw something in the ground. He took a casual glance at his student when the gnome approached, smiling.

"Ye done with yer task?" Olg asked.

"Aye," Filash nodded. "What now."

"Both o' ye, come here," Olg instructed. "I have an explanation te give, an' I got a feelin' ye will want a visual aid fer it."

"Shouldn't we worry about anyone watching us?" Mitaga stopped in her tracks, looking around. "Maybe someone will follow us and try to take us down?"

"I did a pretty good job of covering our tracks," Filash informed her. "We'll be safe."

Mitaga let out a sigh and finally walked over to where Olg was. Filash was quick to follow her and stood by her side. A quick glance downwards revealed Olg's drawing to be a line of arrows and symbols. At the head of the line was a sharply drawn question mark with an arrow pointed to the letter S. Another arrow in front of the S pointed to another letter, H, which pointed to the final letter, T. The gnome only raised an eyebrow in confusion at the elaborate drawing his mentor created. Some explanation was going to be needed to give the various symbols meaning for their understanding.

"Alright, let's have a recap o' what's goin' on," Olg started. "There is a race fer th' Deeprun Chart. We are H, or hunters."

"But not all of us are hunters," Mitaga pointed out.

"Majority rules," Olg shrugged indifferently and pointed his stick at the T. "Currently, Thane an' his crew have th' Deeprun Chart. Truth be told, I have no clue on what they want with it, but they're in th' lead. On th' bright side, we're right behind 'em, an' th' others don't have th' faintest clue on who has it. Overall, I think we're off te a great start, even though our competition is more deadly an' has better access te better resources."

"And the SI:7 are behind us," Filash commented, glancing towards the S.

"Good thinkin', lad," Olg complimented, moving his stick to the next letter. "SI:7 needs no introduction. Th' Alliance's top notch spy organization. They're most likely out te git th' Deeprun Chart te ensure our safety."

"And why couldn't we work with them?" Mitaga asked, confused. "They're the good guys."

"Aye, they are, but in a way, they're against our survival," Olg told her. "The SI:7 sees us as th' guilty party, an' even if we tell 'em th' truth, we're goin' te be locked away. Th' only way we can prove our innocence is if we git th' Deeprun Chart an', as much as it pains me te say it, destroy it. If the SI:7 cannot find any evidence regardin' the map's existence, we are in th' clear and free te go with our lives."

"What about the question mark?" Filash asked.

"Th' question mark is the odd man out, th' attackers we faced in Ironforge," Olg explained. "All we know about 'em is that there are more of 'em an' they want th' Deeprun Chart for unknown reasons. They're at th' back, but it's only a matter o' time until they start catchin' up."

"And we don't know what they can use against us," Filash added.

"Good point, lad," Olg nodded. "Think o' 'em as a wild card. They can appear anytime with anythin'."

"I'm sorry, but this is all so crazy," Mitaga sighed.

"Welcome te our world, lass," Olg grinned. "Don't worry. With my plan, we'll come out safe an' sound."

"And what is your plan?" Mitaga questioned sharply, crossing her arms.

"Te get te Booty Bay, git th' Deeprun Chart from Thane, an' destroy it," Olg answered.

"And how are you going to do that?" Mitaga continued her questioning.

"Haven't thought that far ahead yet," Olg sighed. "We're goin' te win' it most o' th' way."

"Maybe we should keep track of our resources," Filash quickly suggested. "Uh, I left my rifle on the tram."

"I got it in my bag," Mitaga assured him. "I'll be working on it tonight to upgrade it and take my mind off of how today went. I also have some scrap metal and jerky."

"I got a knife," Olg slid it out of his sleeve. "Save th' jerky fer th' mornin', an' try te git me a better weapon with th' scrap ye got."

"And don't try to make my rifle too complicated," Filash insisted. "I want to be able to shoot it still."

"Right," Mitaga nodded. "You boys get some rest. I'll be up for most of the night keeping watch."

"Keep th' fire goin' as lon' as ye can," Olg advised. "That'll keep th' beasts away."

Mitaga walked away from the two with another nod, taking her backpack with her. Filash was very worried what she would end up doing with his rifle. He preferred simplicity over complexness, and he was more than aware of how complex his people were. If she messed with it too much, it was very possible that he would be hesitant to fire with it. If that meant life or death, the group may very well be doomed if he were to watch it. Olg would have to take the rifle, but given his declining age, they may not be better off. He would prefer to keep it the way it was, but there was no stopping the tinker when she had a plan in mind.

Olg covered up his drawing while Filash found a nice patch of grass to sleep on. With no tent or bedrolls, they would have a rough night of sleep. Thankfully, he and Olg were experienced enough to sleep in the wilderness. The night sky was clear so weather would not be an issue as well. Slowly, the gnome collapsed onto the ground, eyes closed. Because of how worried he was, it was hard for him to fall asleep at first. Finally, exhaustion won the battle, and he drifted away into an uneasy sleep.

* * *

 **A/N: Sorry for the delay. I fell sick after attending a Superbowl party, but thankfully, I was able to post a new chapter. After losing my notes, I thought it would be best to give a sort of recap chapter as to no confuse anyone.**

 **Until next time.**


	9. The Lone Elf and the Hunters

"It took a lot of work, but I think your rifle is better than ever!" Mitaga announced, holding the weapon in her hands. "It was single shot, but now, it can fire up to six bullets before you need to reload. Additionally, with some of my leftover scraps, I was able to make a scope for better accuracy. I was hoping to make it fire faster, but for that, I'll need better tools. Overall, I think I did a great job."

"I'll be the judge of that," Filash told her. "Let me see it."

"Of course," Mitaga nodded in agreement with a smile.

Filash took the rifle from her hands, inspecting it closely. A scope had been added, and the magazine was now larger. The rifle was a tad a bit heavier than what he was use to, but it was not anything that would affect his shooting at all. He took a moment to aim out into the forest, using the attached scope to get a better view of his surroundings. The gnome smirked, now being able to see farther out. Mitaga was able to quell any worries he had on if she would not mess up his rifle. It was close enough to what he was use to and improved. A great asset to have in their current hunt.

"This is pretty amazing," Filash told her. "You did a good job."

"Thanks!" Mitaga beamed with a smile. "Oh, Olg! I didn't have enough to make you a new rifle, but I was able to make a flintlock pistol. It's single-shot, but it packs quite a punch."

"So ye say," Olg said, holding his new gun. "I wouldn't use it te hunt beasts, but Thane an' his crew use guns like this. If a fight breaks out between us, which it may, I'll be ready at th' very least."

"We're geared enough to continue on our way, wouldn't you say, Olg?" Filash asked, glancing with one eye towards his mentor.

"Perhaps," Olg closed his eyes in deep thought. "Duskwood is a dark an' gloomy place. I even heard rumors o' wolves that walk on two legs there. Then, ye got all o' Stranglethorn to pass through. Never will ye find a more dangerous place te explore than th' jungle. It'll be rough, but if we spare our bullets accordingly, we may be able te make it te Booty Bay with our lives."

"If Hemet Nesingwary can hunt in Stranglethorn Vale, then so can we," Filash declared with a grin. "It's like a dream come true."

"How many times de I have te tell ye not te idolize Hemet," Olg sighed. "He may be a skilled hunter, but he's too formal with th' way he writes. All facts an' no boastin'."

"Rumor is that he doesn't even write his own books," Mitaga told them with a grin. "I've heard from one of my friends that a gnome writes for him! Oooh, isn't this exciting?! We're bonding!"

"I swear, if Hemet has anyone, even a gnome, writin' under his name, I've lost all respect fer him," Olg sighed.

"Hold on, I think I saw someone move by," Filash announced in a whisper

Filash adjusted his aim, trying to find whoever passed by his vision. Sure enough, through the lens of his scope, he found someone walking on a dirt path, towards their makeshift camp. He was unlike anything the gnome had seen before. He stood tall, even taller than a human, with bright silver hair flowing down his back. His ears extended backwards and were partially covered by the hair that matched his glowing eyes. His skin was a deep shade of purple, which paired with the silver armor he wore, had him stood out in the viridian forest. A sword was sheathed across his back signified him as a warrior of some sorts.

Taking a moment to think, Filash knew exactly what they were dealing with: a night elf. Olg spoke often of their huntresses and how deadly they were, but that a dwarf and his rifle would be able to top an elf and their bow. Yet, it was clear to see this was no hunter. His armor and sword marked him as a fighter, one that was unfamiliar to human lands. The gnome could not help himself but question why a night elf was so far away from his homeland and what purpose he had for his journey.

"Don't keep us in suspense, lad," Olg told his student. "What are we dealin' with?"

"A night elf," Filash reported. "I'm not sure what he's doing out this far, but he's heading right for us."

"Probably workin' with the Alliance," Olg muttered. "Thankfully, elves are cocky an' arrogant, so he doesn't mind us seein' him come."

"We're not going to kill him, right?" Mitaga asked, somewhat nervous.

"Nay, but we'll have to injure or subdue him," Olg told her. "Git te th' bushes an' see if ye can git the jump on him with one o' yer fancy gadgets. Filash, yer with me. Let me do all th' talkin' an' wait until I act before ye de anythin'."

Mitaga nodded and quickly rushed off to the bush by the side of the clearing, taking her backpack with her. Olg and Filash walked off towards the center of the clearing where they had make camp and prepared to greet their guest. The dwarf slid his dagger up into his sleeve and stuffed his new flintlock into his trousers, trying to appear non-threateningly. The gnome kept a firm grip on his rifle, unwilling to be defenseless for only a moment. They were the good guys, but the Alliance was not their enemy. Still, if the elf attacks, he had to defend himself and his friends.

Finally, the elf broke through the clearing, his sword dragging along from his gripping hand. He eyed the two, analyzing their strengths and weaknesses. His eyes lingered on the rifle in Filash's hands, but otherwise seemed undeterred. Olg was right about elves being overly confident. Even when their opponent was armed with an advantage, he still approached, uncaring of what they tried. The gnome gulped upon seeing his piercing eyes, questioning whether he had it in him to shoot down a man, even an armed one.

"We mean ye no trouble, lad," Olg finally spoke. "We're just out on a hunt, that's it."

"You are Olg Wildbeer, and your companion, Filash Cogfizz,," the elf shook his head. "I am Seltheas Moonspear. The Alliance has hired me to capture the two of you, free the hostage you have taken, and secure a valuable document known as the Deeprun Chart. For your sake and safety, I ask you to stand down before I have to hurt you."

"Hostage?" Filash questioned, raising his rifle at the elf. "This is all a big misunderstanding."

"Aye, an' we don't have th' Deeprun Chart," Olg joined him.

"Yet you know of its existence," Seltheas scowled. "I have my orders: bring the two of you in alive. It makes my job harder, but it can be done."

"Lad, yer outgunned," Olg grunted. "Turn away now, an' git help."

"And if I don't?" Seltheas raised his eyebrow. "Will you be the first to strike with one of those hidden weapons you have on your person? Or will it be your hostage, who you have convinced of your cause, to apprehend me?"

"How did you-" Filash started to mutter in shock..

"Now, Mitaga!" Olg commanded.

From the bush, a whoosh echoed throughout the forest, as a sprawled out net was launched towards Seltheas. The elf stood his ground, and with one slash of his sword, sliced the net into two pieces, which landed at his sides. Filash was amazing by the mercenary's reaction, but he would not be faster than a bullet. Olg quickly pulled out his flintlock pistol from his trousers and pulled the trigger. The bullet slammed into the night elf's shoulder, the armor taking the full blow but was dented. In pain, he dropped his weapon onto the ground.

Filash took careful aim, unsure of how he would take his target down given his armor. Before he could pull the trigger, Seltheas closed the distance between the trio and a swift kick sent the gnome flying back, dropping his rifle. He groaned in pain, and when he turned back to the fight, he saw Olg wrestling with their attacker. The elderly dwarf was busy on the ground, trying to crawl away from the elf. The mercenary was on the ground, crawling after his prey, but in his hands, he held the flintlock pistol Olg used. He pointed it at the mentor, and without hesitation, pulled the trigger.

 _Click_

Seltheas was confused when no bullet was fire, allowing for Olg to get a sharp kick in on his face. The elf grunted, blood pouring from his nose, as he got onto his knees. The dwarf rose onto his feet, pulled the dagger from his sleeve, and charged his opponent. Seltheas caught the hand with ease, and started to turn it back on him. The elder tried to resist, using two hands to push back, but the mercenary was too powerful. Filash got up from the ground, picked up his rifle, and aimed it at the mercenary's head. Mitaga emerged from her hiding spot, unsure of what to do.

"Drop it!" Filash demanded.

"Take th' shot already!" Olg called out. "He's goin' te kill me!"

"If he was going to shoot me, he would have already shot me," Seltheas informed him, ignoring Filash completely.

"I said drop it!" Filash repeated himself, the grip on his rifle weakening.

"The Deeprun Chart, where is it?" Seltheas questioned, holding the dagger to Olg's throat.

"An' what if I tell ye?" Olg raised an eyebrow. "If yer goin' te turn me in either way, I'm not goin' te tell ye just te spite ye."

"It appears that we are at a stalemate then," Seltheas sighed.

"Maybe you can help us," Mitaga offered, slightly nervous. "Thane Withers has it."

"Lass, ye just gave him our only advantage," Olg grunted.

"Withers," Seltheas muttered. "He has a large bounty on his head."

"You could chain all of us up and drag us to where Thane is, then chain him up and drag us all the way back to Stormwind City," Mitaga held a finger up. "Or, you could work with us, and we turn ourselves willingly.

"You make a good bargain," Seltheas complimented, gazing upon Olg. "What say you."

"Well, beats bein' chained up," Olg commented.

"I accept your offer," Seltheas nodded. "I shall secure my transporation. Gather yourselves and meet me on the road. If I do not see you, I shall track you down again, and there will be no bargaining. Do I make myself clear?"

"You do."

"Aye."

"Yep!"

With a flick of his wrist, Seltheas tossed the dagger aside, and stood away from the dwarf. Filash lowered his rifle, sighing in disappointed. Although he never saw himself as a killer, he could not even protect his mentor. The elf left the clearing, taking his sword on the way out. The hunter saw how cold he was, but that he was logical. He would keep his word, as it was his best plan to get paid more gold for his services. The trio regrouped at the center of the clearing, their eyes on the mercenary until he left their sight.

"So, are we actually working with him?" Filash asked, turning towards Olg.

"Aye," Olg nodded. "He kicked our collective asses, an' he can do it again. We work with him."

"On the bright side, this may make proving our innocence easier," Mitaga smiled. "He distracts the pirates, we take and destroy the map."

"Valid points," Filash sighed. "Let's get a move on. I'd rather not keep him waiting anymore."

* * *

 **A/N: As I listed, I always intended to include a Night Elf in this story. I meant to do so earlier, but better late than never.**

 **Until next time.**


	10. The Defias Survivors

Much to the party's surprise, Seltheas was more receptive to their story. Although he remained cold and logical as Olg recounted their story in whole, he told the trio that he believed their tale. Filash was glad to have to have the elf on their side, especially given his skill in battle. The warrior would be a welcome addition to the team. However, even though he believed their story, he was insistent that if the Alliance still offered a reward for their capture, he would turn them in once their journey was done. If anyone disagreed with him, the mercenary challenged them to strike him down, for if he survived and they escaped, he would now show them the same kindness as he did before to capture them.

The transportation Seltheas offered was in form of a steady wagon, much more open and sturdy compared to Mitaga's old wagon. Instead of a ram, it was pulled by two horses, each with dark fur. Filash was certain that the steads were glaring at the trio, saying that they were not interested in carrying them when they were supposed to be turn in for a good amount of coin. He climbed into the back of the wagon with Mitaga, the two of them sitting down with their backs pressed against the wooden barriers. Olg and Seltheas climbed at the front, with the elf grabbing the reins to the horse. The gnome could tell that both the hunter and the mercenary were suspicious of each other, but neither acted against each other.

Seltheas spurred his horses to a light trot with the mighty steads pulling the wagon behind them with ease. The ride was a silent one. After working all night on her tinkering, Mitaga practically fell asleep, her head resting on Filash's shoulder. He thought about moving her head, but thought it was best not to risk her wrath if he woke her up from her nap. Meanwhile, Olg and Seltheas were casting weary glances towards each other, as if they were expecting the other to strike. The tension was so thick that it could be skinned with an sharp skinning knife.

With nobody to talk to, Filash focused on his surroundings. Elwynn Forest was a bright land, with the grass and leaves dancing in the breeze. It was similar to Loch Modan with thick trees surrounding the cobblestone path they traveled across. On a normal day, the gnome would love to hunt deep in the woods, wondering what kind of beasts the south had to offer. After their business with the Deeprun Chart was concluded, he was going to make plans to return to the forest for a hunting trip, even if it was by himself.

However, his cheerful expression died away when Seltheas brought his horses to a stop in front of the bridge that led to another forest. On the other side of the bridge, the land was practically dying. The grass was dark and wilted, and the trees were rotten and leafless. A wolf howl nearly had Filash jump from his seat in fear. He hunted wolves down before, but never in such a terrifying forest. Ahead was the kind of hunting ground where everyone was out for blood, regardless of their intended prey.

"Duskwood," Olg muttered under his breath. "Seltheas, how long do ye think it will take te cross through this blasted an' haunted land?"

"A hour or two at most," Seltheas nodded grimly. "We'll set up camp on the border of Duskwood and Stranglethorn. I'd rather not rest in the middle of a deadly jungle."

"Agreed," Olg nodded. "An' I wouldn't want te rest anywhere in Duskwood."

"But it's barely midday!" Filash pointed out. "If we keep waiting, Thane and his crew may very well set sail, or perhaps someone else after the Deeprun Chart will get their hands on it first."

"That's a risk we're goin' te take," Olg shrugged. "Better than te be hunted by th' beasts o' Stranglethorn Vale in th' middle o' the night."

"Or butchered by the horrors of Duskwood," Seltheas added. "The border is safe enough."

"Ye know, I'm thinkin' we're startin' te git along just fine, Sel," Olg chuckled.

"I'm still turning you in if you cannot clear your name," Seltheas reminded them.

"Aye, never mind," Olg sighed out. "Filash, yer up front. Ye got th' rifle. If anyone dares come fer our wagon, ye shoot 'em down."

"As you insist," Filash slowly nodded, gulping.

Olg jumped into the back of the wagon, landing on the wooden surface with a loud thud. Mitaga snored peacefully, and now, Filash was convinced even an earthquake would not wake her from her slumber. Slowly, he swapped places with his mentor, who now supported the sleeping tinkerer. With some effort, he climbed up to the front of the wagon with Seltheas, who took a momentary glance at his willing captive. The hunter held the rifle in his lap, pointing it away from the mercenary. He was frightened to be so close to the elf, but given what waited for him, that would be the least of his worries.

Once more, Seltheas spurred his horses onwards, and within moments, they were across the stone bridge and into the darkness of Duskwood. Filash instinctively held onto his rifle tighter as the minutes pass by. The wolf howls grew more louder and frequent with each passing moment. He was certain that he heard something skittering up a tree. And was he hearing things, or was that a whisper? He could not make out any words that came with the whisper, but he was certain of one thing: they needed to leave Duskwood.

It was part way through their journey that Filash was convinced that they were being watched. It had nothing to do with the creepiness the wretched woods held. Being a hunter, he had a sixth sense, one that told him when they were being hunted. His sense was still growing, as seen when compared to Olg, who was able to tell they were being watched in a city. The gnome was more limited with his sixth sense, only able to use it out in the open, and mostly instinctively. The fact that he was actively aware that it was telling him something dangerous was after them worried him.

"Ye can feel it as well," Olg commented, eyes closed. "It's not a beast, that's fer sure."

"Then what it is?" Filash asked, worried.

"If I had te take a guess, I think we're about te meet our mysterious enemy," Olg predicted. "Seltheas, are we close te Stranglethorn? I'd rather not make our final showdown here o' all places."

"Close enough," Seltheas nodded. "We're coming across the turn that leads to Stranglethorn Vale."

"We're not going to be safe there though," Filash sighed.

"Better te fight there than-" Olg gasped. "Oh damn."

Filash turned back to face the way they were going as Seltheas pulled his horses to a stop. Up ahead were a dozen or so men, all armed with crossbows aimed at the approaching wagon. They wore dark red armor, the color of blood, and covered their lower faces with various masks, eached inscribed with a different emotion. Other men in similar garb emerged from the forest, pointing their weapons at the intruders. Filash gulped, realizing they were surrounded.

The men at the front broke away, still keeping their weapons trained on the group of four. Three men emerged from the back ranks, two of them being the men that Olg and Filash dealt with back in Ironforge. The third man, in the center, was more slimmer, and unlike many of the others with him, wore nothing to hide his face. He was a middle aged man with a wrinkled face and a shaved head. He wore black robes with red lines stitched into the cloth, and clutched a staff of black oak in his hand. Filash gulped, wanting to raise his weapon at the supposed leader, but lacked the courage to do so.

"Olg Wildbeer," the shaved man called out. "We've been expecting you. Please, come out of the cart, or we'll be forced to murder your friends."

"Ugh," Mitaga rubbed her eyes as she woke up. "What's going on?"

"Stay down, lass," Olg warned her, climbing out of the wagon. "Just who do ye think ye are, lad?"

"Victor Spaulding," the man bowed with a grin. "Leader of the Defias Survivors."

"The Defias Survivors?" Seltheas growled. "The Defias Brotherhood fell months ago."

"Our leader, the great Edwin Vancleef, was decapitated by Alliance goons, but there were some of us who survived," Victor explained. "Some of us who hated the Alliance even more. Not just Stormwind, but all who aligns with them."

"That's why you want the Deeprun Chart," Filash muttered under his breath. "For revenge."

"Yes, an attack of unparalleled proportions," Victor laughed madly.

"So, ye want te de somethin' te Ironforge," Olg started, reaching behind him and into his pants. "Ye know who has th' Deeprun Chart, yet ye wasted yer time layin' a trap fer us. Why?"

"To tie up loose ends of course," Victor answered bluntly. "The less who knows about the Deeprun Chart, the better."

"So, yer goin' te kill us no matter what we do or what we say?" Olg continued his questioning.

"You're a dead man, Victor," Seltheas grunted.

"It is you, and those midgets with you, that are dead," Victor grinned.

"We're not going to die, are we, Filash?" Mitaga peeked over the edge, grabbing onto the other gnome.

"I don't know," Filash struggled to find the courage to lift his rifle.

"Well, if we're goin' te die," Olg gave Victor his own mad grin. "I'll see ye in hell!"

In one swift motion, Olg pulled his flintlock pistol free, took aim at Victor, and fired before any of the Defias Survivors had a chance to interfere. The bullet flew true, striking the man in the chest. Yet, the leader remained standing and offered no signs of pain, much to the hunters' surprise. He laughed madly, and brought his hand up to signal for his men to prepare for fire. Olg struggled to reload his weapon quickly while Seltheas hopped off the wagon and pulled his sword free. Filash only gasped at what he saw, his grip on his rifle loosening with Mitaga holding onto him tightly. There was nothing he could do.

Suddenly, a howl incredibly near the scene echoed, and while the Defias Survivors hesitated, the wolves struck.

* * *

 **A/N: Ah, nothing better than leaving the readers with a cliffhanger at the end of the chapter. Especially when there's an epic battle approaching.**

 **Until next time.**


	11. Showdown in Duskwood

Wolves may not be the best way to describe the beasts that attacked the large group of Defias Survivors. Their fur varied from dark gray to even black, allowing them to blend in with the bleak woods of Duskwood. Yet, unlike wolfs, they wore clothes, plain tunics and trousers. They ran on all fours but bought on two paws as if they were feet. They made use of their sharp claws, deadly teeth, and brute force to overwhelm many of the Defias Survivors in the first attack. The ambush was enough to distract them from their original target, but they still fired. Filash pulled Mitaga down to take cover under the cart, avoiding the crossbow bolts which slammed against their cover while slaying the horse.

Filash recalled a grizzled hunter who told the tale of one hunt while he was in Silverpine Forest. He made a risky venture into Horde territory to bring back the nostalgia of hunting in his former kingdom. Yet, he encountered wolf men, just like these, who slaughtered the rest of his party. He fled, but was relentlessly pursued by his hunters until they choose to target a Forsaken patrol. The hunter called the wild beasts worgen, and that if a hunter encountered one, they were in for a fight between hunter and hunter.

This fight was more of hunter against hunter against hunter, making it even more deadly.

"What are those creatures?" Mitaga asked with a panicked tone, reaching into her backpack for a device.

"Worgen?" Filash answered with a cracked voice. "You have any inventions you can use?"

"I do," Mitaga pulled out the net gun she used earlier in the day. "I can only use this two more times, but-"

"Stay under the cart and keep yourself safe," Filash told her. "I'm going out there."

"Are you kidding?" Mitaga asked, immediately worried. "You'll be torn apart!"

"Not while they were busy with the Defias Survivors," Filash calmly tried to tell her, even though he was not so sure himself. "I'll make it out in one piece."

Not giving any time for Mitaga to tell him otherwise, Filash crawled out from under the wagon and towards the fallen horses. Their corpses would make for decent enough cover in the middle of a battlefield. All around him, the worgen and Defias Survivors fought each other furiously. After recovering from the attack, the men were able to handle the wild savages well enough, even though a few fell in the initial assault. Victor, flanked by his two lieutenants, unleashed sickly green bolts upon the worgen, which tore apart their fur and left them in agony. The gnome did not need to be a mage to understand that they were dealing with someone who dabbled in dark magic.

Among the chaos of the open war, Filash took note of four Defias Survivors disengaging from the worgen. They moved towards the center of the battlefield, having a new target in mind. Seltheas stood over the bodies of two fallen attackers, his sword dripping with their crimson blood. He turned in time to block the incoming club, and with a pivot of his wrist, ended his life by slashing his blade across his chest. The gnome was amazed by his swordsmanship, recognizing the reaction time and skill behind his fighting. While the night elf defended himself from the remaining three, the hunter took a quick glance around the battlefield, looking for a specific dwarf.

There was no sign of Olg in the battle.

Filash took a deep breath in, knowing that he had the battle to worry about. Olg was old and weak, but cunning and a survivalist. He was alive, just out of sight. The gnome thought it would be best to deal with the worgen instead of the syndicate. For some reason, he found himself unable to shoot down a sentient being aside from maiming shots, and that would just lure them over to his location. The worgen on the other hand, were not as intelligent, meaning that he had a fighting chance.

Filash opted out of using the scope, deciding that he did not need to use the long range function of his new rifle. Taking aim, he pulled the trigger, and the bullet flew out, striking a lunging worgen in the neck. The hunter instinctively prepared to reload it, but remembered that it was upgraded, and had five more bullets. He smirked at the thought, and started to fire upon the worgen once more, each bullet nailing a target. While the gnome reloaded his rifle, three of the wolf-like creatures started to charge towards his location. Filash hurried, but each bullet had to be loaded in separately. Mitaga managed to dispatch one with a net, sending it crashing to the ground, but the other two continued onwards.

A loud boom was heard with one of the worgen falling forward, blood leaking from his corpse. The remaining worgen, the lone wolf, jumped on top of the horse Filash used as hunter, sending the gnome falling back. Before the beast could strike, Olg tackled it from his flank, both of them falling down from the horse and onto the ground. They wrestled for a moment while the gnomes finished reloading their weapon, before the dwarf finally ended the contest of strengths by stabbing the beast repeatedly with his knife. The mentor joined the duo quickly, reloading his flintlock pistol.

"Good te see ye three safe," Olg told him. "We need te head south while Victor an' his band are distracted."

"Great thinking!" Filash complimented. "I think the two of us may be able to shoot our way out of the battle."

"What about Seltheas?" Mitaga asked, pointing towards the elven warrior while he fought against two Defias Survivors.

"Every lad fer himself," Olg grimly told her. "That, an', after threatenin' us, I feel like this is what he had comin'."

"Filash, do something to convince him!" Mitaga turned to her friend with her demand.

Hesitantly, Filash took one final glance towards the battle Seltheas fought. He had finished off most of his attackers and faced against a single, outmatched warrior. Despite their first meeting, the gnome knew that they were going to need his help. He was skilled enough of a warrior to protect them from the Defias Survivors, who would be right on their tail. Convincing Olg was going to be a problem, with his mentor being stubborn like most of his people were. He hated the idea he had in mind, but it was the only way he would be able to convince him.

"Sorry, but Olg's too stubborn," Filash sighed, then turned towards Seltheas. "We're leaving!"

Although he was faced away from Olg, Filash swore he heard Olg facepalming.

Seltheas did not show any acknowledgement to the call, but with one swift motion, cut down the remaining survivor. He turned south and started to take off, with the trio taking off after him. Filash provided covering fire for the group, shooting down three worgen while Seltheas cut down another two Defias Survivors that tried to intercept their path. Freedom and safety was within reach, but a shout coming back from the battlefield caught their attention. The gnome and his mentor turned, seeing the lieutenant with his face shown chasing after them, scowling at the dwarf in particular.

"I'm taking back my knife!" the man declared.

"Nay yer not," Olg shrugged.

Without hesitation, Olg took aim at the man with his flintlock pistol, and pulled the trigger. The bullet slammed into his upper chest, sending him collapsing down to the ground. Unlike Victor, he was not immune to such an attack, and remained unmoving in a pool of his own blood. Olg spat on the ground, and ran off. Filash took one glance towards the fallen Defias Survivor, and chased after his mentor. The gnome was unsure of what to think of the elderly dwarf's reactions, or what to make of the Defias Survivors. The group would be having a long conversation with each other, which would hopefully give them answers.

* * *

 **A/N: Duskwood is now behind the hunters. A long expedition through Stranglethorn is their final hurdle to get through in order to get to Booty Bay.**

 **Until next time.**


	12. Green Hills of Stranglethorn

Dun Morogh was cold and frigid with harsh winds. Elwynn Forest had a moderate temperature and a nice breeze. Stranglethorn Vale was humid and hot with the fierce sun beating down on the group of four. They had only been walking through the jungles for a half a hour at most and already Filash was sweating. If it was not for Hemet Nesingwary's books on hunting, then the gnome would never want to travel out here. However, he knew that there were fierce beasts roaming around: tigers, raptors and panthers. One day, when all the business with the Deeprun Chart was in the past, he would have to return and hunt such predators.

The group followed a path paved out in the dirt on a hill, the lush trees towering far above the hill they stood on. Filash covered the rear of the group out of his own choice. He had to slow himself down for Olg, who was panting and wheezing while walking. The climate of Stranglethorn was not doing so well for the elderly dwarf, who grew more exhausted with each second. Mitaga was ahead of them, occasionally casting a worried glance over to the hunters, while Seltheas was at the lead. When they reached a fork in the path, he raised his fist to signal for a stop.

"We rest here," Seltheas announced, glancing back at the gnomes and dwarf.

"But what if those men catch up with us?" Mitaga asked.

"They'll catch up with us anyways," Seltheas shrugged. "If we don't stop, your friend there will pass out, and then we'll have to carry him."

Seltheas had a point. With the way Olg was now, there was very little chance that he could press on for too much longer. Filash did not want his mentor to pass away from sheer exhaustion either. The gnome helped the elderly dwarf to sit down on a decent sized rock and ran his hand across his sweaty forehead. Mitaga rushed forward with a flask of water and gave it to him, who started to chug it down within seconds. The hunter would bring up the thought of rationing their water but it was clear who needed it more. Thankfully, Seltheas had his own flask, and after taking a sip, hesitantly shared it with the gnomes.

Taking a gulp from the flask, Filash let out a relieved sigh, and handed it over to Mitaga. While she took a sip, he had time to go over the events. Today, they allied a mercenary of the Alliance who was out to hunt them and the Deeprun Chart. Then, while traveling through Duskwood, they were set about the mysterious Defias Survivors, who the gnome had never heard of until today. Now, they were out in Stranglethorn Vale, getting ready to confront a band of pirates, while being pursued by criminals who wanted to tie up loose ends. It was all starting to be too much for the hunter to handle. He had so many questions to ask but no one to answer them.

"Thank you, Sel," Mitaga smiled, handing the flask back to him. "I'm going to call you that from now on."

"Please don't," Seltheas sighed.

"Yer name is a mouth full," Olg grinned between wheezes. "Sel it is."

"Seltheas, do you know anything about the Defias Survivors?" Filash questioned, trying to respect the elf's wishes.

"No," Seltheas shook his head. "I only know about the Defias Brotherhood. This new band of thugs is unknown to me."

"What do you know about the Brotherhood?" Filash continued his questioning

"The Defias Brotherhood was formed when the House of Nobles refused to pay the Stonemason's Guild for the reconstruction of Stormwind," Seltheas explained. "As such, the guild's leader, Edwin Vancleef, openly rebelled against Stormwind. For the most part, they were contained to minor crimes across the nation, but never opposed the rest of the Alliance."

"So, the Defias Survivors are going after the rest of the Alliance, which is what makes them different from the Brotherhood," Filash analyzed. "Why?"

"Well, isn't it obvious?" Mitaga started. "The dwarves and gnomes contributed to the downfall of Brotherhood."

"We did?" Filash and Olg asked in unison.

"Ayep!" Mitaga answered.

"That's incorrect," Seltheas told the trio. "Stormwind did not care to handle the Defias and neither did the rest of the Alliance. It fell upon a militia of farmers, led by Gryan Stoutmantle, to put an end to them. I recalled that the man who led the assault to end Vancleef himself went by Matthew Collas. When I tried to convince him not to hired a cripple mercenary for the operation, he turned me away without hesitation."

"An' here I thought ye were an effective bounty hunter and warrior," Olg chuckled before bursting out into a coughing fit.

"Not only is my body in peak condition, I have fought with a blade for centuries," Seltheas grunted. "My experience puts me at an advantage over most of my opponents."

"That's how you managed to defeat your attackers earlier," Filash commented.

"Indeed," Seltheas nodded. "They were all inexperienced. Most of them probably didn't have any formal training on combat and mostly resort to swinging their weapons wildly."

"While I hate to interrupt the male bonding with you three, Sel only knows half of the truth," Mitaga corrected.

"Oh, an' ye know th' whole truth?" Olg raised an eyebrow.

"I do," Mitaga answered quickly. "Weren't you there for the celebration?"

"There was a celebration?" Olg scratched his head. "Must have been out huntin' with th' lad."

"Well, I'll pick up on where Sel left off," Mitaga continued. "You see, when Matthew was preparing to confront Vancleef, he knew that he needed allies, so he contacted his old war buddies, which likely includes that crippled mercenary you speak of. Among his friends that answered the call were Sergeant Lorad Stonefist, a dwarf, and Commander Kelvin Gearwork, a gnome. Therefore, our respective people, not including Sel, did aid in the final defeat of the Defias Brotherhood."

Although Filash did not speak it, he believed that there was more to the Defias Survivors than meets the eye. If revenge was their goal, then they could have easily gone after those responsible for Edwin's death. It also seemed that they were not interested in vengeance but in chaos instead. Whatever their goals were now, the hunter did not know. He doubt that they were enacting any plan for random terror. Their plans depended on the Deeprun Chart, so the only way that the gnome could find out was to secure the plan.

"Are ye sure there is nothin' else ye know?" Olg asked the two.

"Nope!" Mitaga answered.

"Perhaps," Seltheas stroke his chin. "I recall a bounty on an unnamed wizard terrorizing Westfall with dark magic. The magic of demons."

"Ye think it's Victor?" Olg questioned.

"Maybe," Seltheas shrugged. "I did not bother to collect the bounty. The wizard was described to be powerful by a single mage he left alive."

"Powerful enough to survive a bullet to the chest," Filash muttered. "That's inhuman."

"Aye, it is," Olg nodded. "I ain't one for how th' human body works, but that shot was lethal, an' he shrugged it off."

"Fel magic is capable of much," Seltheas told them, sighing. "However, immortality like that isn't possible."

"There's more to him than meets the eye," Mitaga commented. "Maybe-"

"We need te leave," Olg interrupted. "Now!"

Filash questioned what Olg was talking about, then he heard a loud screech unlike any beast he had ever heard before. Another screech followed, more close than the first. Then another screech. Three more screeches followed in quick succession, all of them growing closer to their current location. At that point, the hunter knew that the local wildlife of Stranglethorn Vale was after them. Even if they were on the path, the beasts would not care. Like his mentor said, they needed to leave immediately.

` Filash helped Olg up while Seltheas and Mitaga ran down the path. The dwarf put an arm around the back of his student's neck, who started to support him as they both ran. Keeping up with the others was hard when having to support his mentor, but the hunters pressed on. The screeching grew louder with each step they took. The gnome took a look over his shoulder, which proved to be a costly mistake. While distracted, he tripped over a stone, sending the two hunters collapsing down the hill, groaning in pain.

The two stood up with the younger of the hunter gasping. Before them was a colorful, purple beast. It was scaled but there were feathers around the creatures talons. It stood on two legs with two armlike appendages at its side. It hunched forward, beady eyes glaring at the hunters. Filash gulped, having heard tales of how deadly raptors were, and how one had cornered them. Not just one, but the rest of its pack soon joined it, surrounding and circling around their prey.

Filash and Olg stood back to back, firearms drawn, as they prepared to defend themselves. They had to be careful with their shooting. The dwarf only had one bullet and the gnome could not take the rest down before one got to them. Raptors were known to be intelligent creatures and already had a strategy in mind. Wait for them to shoot first, then charge forward to rip them apart. There would be no defeating them, only choosing which raptor they would deny life.

An arrow struck the lead raptor in the head.

A crossbow bolt slammed into the side of another raptor.

The remaining four raptors were downed by a volley of bullets.

From the trees, hunters stepped out from the shadows. A trio, two humans and one dwarf at the center. The archer was a young human woman wearing leather clothing and had her blonde hair tied up into a bun. The human man wielding the crossbow was likewise wearing leather armor with brown hair going down the back of his neck. The dwarf, wearing fancy clothing and a monocle with a well trimmed black beard and hair, approach the two. He holstered his rifle and stood taller than Olg, crossing his arms.

"Amateurs shouldn't be out huntin' in Stranglethorn," the dwarf warned. "Fer lads an' ol' timers."

"I may be an' ol' timer, but I ain't no amateur," Olg grunted. "Olg Wildbeer o' Khaz Modan, an' this is my student, Filash Cogfizz."

"The name's Hemet," the dwarf extended his hand out. "Hemet Nesingwary-"

"A pleasure to meet you, Mr. Nesingway!" Filash quickly stepped forward and grabbed his hand with both of his. "I'm a big fan of your books! Oh, if only I had my copy of Green Hills of Stranglethorn. You inspired me to take up the ways of hunting and-"

"Junior," the dwarf finally finished, blinking at the dwarf. "Hemet Nesingwary Junior."

"Oh," Filash immediately released Junior's hands.

* * *

 **A/N: I wonder how many of you were expecting for Hemet Nesingwary to show up. I now wonder how many of you were surprised that it was Junior instead. Also, I hate to say this, but I will be going on break for the month. I will be back April 10.**

 **Until next time.**


	13. Nesingwary's Secret

Despite his immediate disappointment that Junior was not Hemet Nesingwary himself, Filash was excited to follow the hunters back to camp. Junior promised him and Olg that his friends would be safe and brought back to their camp. The same camp that the legendary hunter had once set up on his first hunt in Stranglethorn Vale. Even though he had left long ago, the gnome was excited to rest in the place of his role model for the night. Nesingwary inspired him to take up the ways of the hunter. Their journey to take the Deeprun Chart back from Thane was a pilgrimage for him. The gnome was visiting the sites that he considered sacred. If only he could meet his hero in person.

Junior led the way back to the camp, holding onto his rifle. Filash and Olg followed closely behind him, glad to have an escort in such a dangerous land. Sir S. J. Erlgadin, the man wielding the crossbow, was behind them, with Ajeck Rouack, the archer, covered the rear. Filash remembered their names well from _The Green Hills of Stranglethorn_. They, along with Barnil Stonepot, were the hunters Hemet gathered to track and bring down big game in Stranglethorn Vale. Junior told his new guests that Barnil would go after Seltheas and Mitaga to bring them back to camp as well.

"An' here we are," Junior announced. "Go ahead an' make yerselves at home. We got tents an' food te spare."

Filash looked in amazement at the wooden walls that stood as a barrier over the campsite, the ends of them freshly sharpened. With the various predators, trolls, and criminals within Stranglethorn, it was only sense that their camp was properly fortified for protection. They passed through the entrance, revealing the square base of the camp. Tents were set up across the ground, some for sleep and others for storing weapons, food, and the game hunted. A bonfire provided light in the evening sun while the appetizing smell of a stew came from a pot hanging over one of the fires.

"So, it's just th' three o' ye, an' one other dwarf?" Olg asked. "Seems a little excessive te me."

"Many of the hunters that were here left with Hemet," Ajeck answered. "He went out to hunt across the Dark Portal."

"He asked fer me te take leader o' whoever stayed behind," Junior added. "I'd invite fer ye te hunt with us, but I don't think ye an' yer crew are here fer huntin'."

"We would love to stay and hunt with you," Filash quickly offered. "We could even go after Hemet. How does a trip through the Dark Portal sound, Olg?"

"Good luck with that," Erlgadin chuckled. "If you're not with the military, Dark Portal is restricted. Hemet doesn't care though."

"We got business te take care o' in Booty Bay first, lad," Olg shook his head. "We'll stay th' night an' continue on our way."

"What brings a dwarf, a gnome, an'an elf te a place that's home te some o' th' most dangerous pirates this side o' Azeroth?" Junior asked while they moved towards the campfire with the stew.

"A card game, te be exact," Olg smirked. "Just happens te be with one o' those dangerous pirates. Thane Withers."

"Never heard o' him," Junior shrugged, starting to fill up some bowls with stew. "I'm a hunter. I don't worry about th' sea."

"That name sounds familiar to me," Ajeck told them. "I think Jarox mentioned that he was a regular at his place."

"A regular?" Olg and Filash asked in unison.

"Who was Jarox again?" Erlgadin asked.

"Jarox was one of the chefs that Hemet brought along on one of his hunting expeditions," Ajeck told everyone. "He hunted his own game and made some of the best food we had here. He owns a restaurant in Booty Bay. It never did well but he used the money Hemet paid him to pay for rent and such."

"If th' lad was a good cook, why didn't he have any business?" Olg questioned, taking one of the bowls Junior offered.

"Comes with the reputation of being a goblin," Ajeck replied. "Everyone expects that whatever they make blows up."

"An' ye say he hunts?" Olg sighed. "A goblin hunter. Sounds like a damn shame if ye ask me. Goblins shouldn't be hunters."

"Just like gnomes, huh?" Filash brought up.

Filash was well aware of the reputations of goblins. Just like gnomes, they were brilliant engineers, although their inventions were more prone to destruction than the refined technology of his people. They were more rougher than the gnomes and likely to pick fights. Additionally, while his people invented for the improvement of society, goblins were driven by greed, whether that would be another coin to their pocket or another kind of treasure or service. He heard his people talk about how to never trust a goblin. The hunter never felt comfortable with his own kind and expected the same from their rivals.

However, a goblin hunter would be just like him: an outcast from their respective people. Perhaps they would be able to form a friendship over their struggles they faced throughout the years. Maybe, just like the gnomes and goblins were rivals in engineering, they could be rivals in hunting. Filash was more determined to meet Jarox and get to know who he truly was. While Olg and the gnomish race may not expect him to be a hunter, he had high hopes from the stories he heard.

"Ye know, my ol' man would agree with ye on both counts," Junior told the group.

"He would?" Filash asked, stunned.

"I hate te break it te ye, lad, but he never really had any respect fer someone like a gnome or a goblin on a hunt," Junior explained. "He brought humans an' elves on his hunts. Hell, he even invites members o' th' Horde occasionally, such as th' tauren. But fer gnomes, he always thought ye were best off inventin' a new gun or huntin' trap."

"The only reason Jarox got to hunt was because Hemet thought he was just a cook," Erlgadin added. "He never knew that the goblin hunted for his food

"He was still a great archer," Ajeck pointed out.

"And a damn good cook," Erlgadin took a spoonful of stew into his mouth. "He could make something better than this."

"Truth be told, I don't got anythin' against ye, gnomes, or even goblins," Junior shook his head. "I mean, yes, we did have te rescue ye from th' most dangerous predator in th' jungle. Frankly, it takes a lot o' guts from a man te come this far. Th' fact that ye, a gnome, came out here with yer buddies, shows ye got courage an' heart."

"Ye hear that, lad?" Olg slapped the shoulder of Filash. "Yer already one o' th' best gnomes in my eyes fer comin' out this far. An' unlike th' lass, ye can look out fer yerself on a good day."

The words were going through one ear and out the other. Filash felt his entire world falling apart upon the revelation that his hero did not think the same ideals as he did. If a legendary hunter such as Hemet Nesingwary did not think his dream of becoming a hunter would happen because he was a gnome, then that was it for him. With his dreams crushed, the gnome supposed it was time to look at more realistic jobs for him to pursue. Hunting was not an option anymore and neither was engineering. Maybe Olg could teach him how to be a cartographer. He could inherit the shop from his master and make a decent living.

Filash did not eat the stew presented to him, swaying the bowl side to side. He was not aware when Mitaga and Seltheas entered the room, led by Barnil Stonepot, a dwarf with a long auburn beard. The sun was setting in the distance and the gnome decided it was time to get some sleep. He shrugged Olg's hand off his shoulder and stood up from his seat. Mitaga was quick to intercept him, giving him the opportunity to hand off his stew to her.

"Filash," Mitaga muttered. "I can tell there's something off."

"Just leave him alone, lass," Olg told her. "It's been a lon' day."

"I'm just going to get some sleep," Filash told everyone.

"Aye," Junior nodded, looking at Barnil. "Which tents do we have open?"

"Three tents," Barnil motioned to the available tents. "All yers."

"Th' lad an' I will share a tent," Olg announced. "Seltheas, Mitaga, yer find with havin' yer own tent?"

"Of course I am," Seltheas scoffed at the soup Ajeck offered. "Just for one night in this ghost camp."

"Take care, Filash," Mitaga sighed, and walked off to join the big game hunters.

"Oi, lad," Junior called out. "Na sure if it will make a difference, but I want ye te keep it in mind. I'll be out lookin' fer hunters te join my expedition. I'm willin' te see what yer capable o'. Think it over."

"I'll sleep on it," Filash sighed.

Junior's offer was something that once would have gotten his hopes up. A chance to hunt with Hemet's son could mean he could work his way up to the legendary hunter himself. Now, he was not sure what to think. Could he still look up to Hemet even though his ideas on an ideal hunter meant he could never be a hunter? Just another question he could sleep on. Thankfully, they would be in Booty Bay by tomorrow afternoon. The hunt for Captain Withers was coming to an end.

* * *

 **A/N: Good news, everyone. I'm back. I would like to thank the kind guest who told me that I accidentally uploaded the wrong chapter last time. Green Hills of Stranglethorn has been updated with the correct chapter. I encourage you to reread it to catch up.**

 **Until next time.**


	14. Captain Withers

The next morning, Filash and his companions set out to complete their journey. Olg estimated that they would arrive at Booty Bay in the evening. Junior and his hunters were kind enough to provide food and water for them to complete their journey. In turn, they warned the big game hunters of the Defias Survivors. They reported that they have yet to see a large group of armed men moving throughout Stranglethorn Vale but would keep an eye out for them. With that, the two groups parted on friendly terms.

Filash's mind still weighed heavy on the debate in his heart. Hemet's dislike of gnome hunters was nearly enough to dissuade him to stay away from hunting. If one of Azeroth's best hunters did not believe in him, then perhaps he would not succeed as a hunter. Yet, the gnome remembered the words of encouragement from experienced hunters, like Olg, and newcomers, such as Junior. Their backing would not be enough if he wanted to prove himself as a hunter. He needed to overcome the doubts in his head but was unsure of if he could. Perhaps he would be lucky enough to meet that goblin hunter in Booty Bay. If not, he would have to overcome his own doubts after Olg's business was taken care of.

The sky was orange with the sun setting when the group finally arrived at Booty Bay. At first, Filash was not sure what to quite expect. All he saw was a tunnel dug into the mountain that led deeper into the city. Sure, the massive shark skull that had its maw opened was a nice touch, but a tunnel with a shark skull was still a tunnel. Two goblin bruisers stood guard over the entrance, smirking as the group of four made their way down the road. One stepped forward, swinging his club in his hands.

"What do we got here?" the bruiser asked rhetorically. "More of Hemet's hunters wanting out of the expedition?"

"Hemet's hunters?" Olg grunted with a scowl.

"Of course we are!" Mitaga quickly stepped up before Olg gave some choice words to the goblin. "Two hunters, one assistant, and-"

"A hitchhiking mercenary," the first bruiser finished for her.

"How are you doing, Sel?" the second bruiser called out.

"Fine, Zigart," Seltheas answered. "How's the wife?"

"Doing pretty well," the bruiser, Zigart, answered. "We're expecting children. You here on a job?"

"I am after Thane Withers," Seltheas replied. "Is his ship still docked?"

"The Bobbing Murloc? It sure is, pal," Zigart confirmed. "Although, he's been down at the Salty Sailor for the past few days. Something about getting a map translated? But I won't hold you all any longer. Don't cause any trouble."

Seltheas led the way through the tunnel, his reputation proceeding him for once. The hunters and Mitaga followed closely behind. As their confrontation with Captain Withers drew closer, Filash found himself growing more nervous. The pirate was confirmed to be waiting for them on the other side of the tunnel. The gnome was unsure of what plan Olg had in mind to get the Deeprun Chart from Thane. He just hoped that all of their business with it would be finished by the time the sun set.

On the other side of the tunnel, Filash was amazed to see how grand of a city Booty Bay was. The pirate cove was built on several levels of docks on the mountain side and supported dozens of shops and buildings. Ramps led the way up and down multiple levels with railings to ensure no one fell into the sea below. Down at the pier were about a dozen ships docked. Some were merchants while others were pirates. The inhabitants of the city consisted of all sorts of people, from humans to goblins to even a few outliers of dwarves, tauren, and elves.

"Woah," was all Filash was able to mutter.

"This is amazing," Mitaga was taken back by the sight as well. "The engineering it took to construct a city like this is truly astounding!"

"The Salty Sailor Tavern is on the far side," Seltheas informed the group. "I will stay back for now. Revilgaz would not tolerate my presence if I started another fight in his tavern. Instead, I'll make preparations to ambush Thane at his ship. That is how we will retrieve the Deeprun Chart, yes?"

"Nay," Olg shook his head. "I'll have some words o' choice with him. Ye can still plan yer ambush. He does have that bounty on his head still."

"Olg, are you sure he can be reasoned with?" Filash asked, uncertain.

"We had a fallin' out, but we were friends once," Olg nodded. "But, if we're lucky, he'll already be drunk."

"Sounds fair," Seltheas agreed. "We shall leave in the morning, with the captain and chart in toll then."

Seltheas pivoted away from the ground and made his way down one of the ramps, heading to the docked ships. The trio started to walk across the platform, seeing different sights. Goblin bruisers were on patrol to keep the pirate haven safe. Various pirates of different backgrounds walked as if they owned the port. A man was passed outside the tavern, likely having too much to drink. Filash took a nervous glance towards a fight involving a dispute between the crews of two ships. The gnome hoped the enforcers would break it up, but instead, they started to take bets on which side would win.

"As one of two gnomes in a city full of goblins and pirates, should we have left our best warrior to his own devices?" Mitaga asked, glancing away from the battle. "The city's too rough for our kind or an elderly dwarf like you."

"Keep yer head down an' stay out o' trouble, lass," Olg advised. "Besides, it's good Seltheas left us. We're not leavin' tomorrow. Mitaga, when we get te th' Salty Sailor, I want ye te head te th' gryphon aviary is. Get us a gryphon out o' here tonight somehow."

"We're leaving behind Seltheas?" Filash asked with a frown.

"Look, if we don't he'll turn th' two o' us in," Olg explained. "We're turnin' over th' Deeprun Chart te th' Alliance on our own terms."

"But what about the money he'll get from turning us in?" Filash continued his questioning. "He did threaten to go after us again if we left him."

"I'm hopin' that th' bounty on Thane will be enough compensation," Olg shrugged. "Once we get our names cleared, he'll have no reason te attack us."

"He does have a point," Mitaga nodded. "Seltheas is more logical than emotional, like us gnomes. Once the bounty on your heads is cleared, he won't try anything. This works out so all parties involved benefit."

"I suppose so," Filash sighed. "It feels bad to betray him like this."

"Our partnership with him was unsteady te begin with," Olg told his student. "We were his prisoners fer cryin' out loud! Enough o' that. That's th' Salty Sailor."

The Salty Sailor Inn was by far one of the largest buildings in the pirate cove. It easily stood three stories high and was seemingly built out of a ship. Ramps connected it with platforms that led to two other buildings, built on the mountain side. From one of the towers, a majestic gryphon with white feathers and tanned fur soared away, flying north. The Salty Sailor was home to the tavern, gryphon aviary, and based off of Seltheas' words, where the leader resided. Of course pirates would pick such a place as their main building.

"I was all for going to the gryphon aviary, but if it's here, that'll pose a problem," Mitaga spoke up. "The goblins-"

"Won't bother ye none if ye keep yer head down an' don't cause any trouble," Olg told her. "An' odds are, it's a dwarf in charge o' th' gryphons."

"Would that dwarf be with the Alliance?" Mitaga asked, hopefully.

"Nay clue," Olg shrugged. "What difference would that make?"

"It makes a very big difference!" Mitaga huffed. "Get that stupid map of yours. I'll get us a ride out of here."

"Thanks for the help, Mitaga," Filash nodded. "I'm ready, Olg."

"Stay behind me, lad," Olg advised. "Thane is an unpredictable lad."

"Understood," Filash cracked his knuckles. "Time to get the Deeprun Chart back!"

Filash and Olg entered the Salty Sailor Inn, where they were greeted by some of the roughest pirates yet. They sat at the various, damaged tables, and only offered a glance at the two short hunters before turning back to their various activities. A gruff goblin wiped a dirty rag on the bar counter, grunting as Olg and Filash took a seat on the uneven bar stools. The gnome was on the lookout to see if any of the pirates were spying on him and his mentor, but none did not care.

"What can I get you?" the barkeeper asked with a glare.

"My friend an' I are lookin' fer an ol' friend," Olg told him. "Captain Withers."

"Withers!" the barkeep called out. "You got a dwarf wantin' to see you! Want me to kick the sod out of here?"

All the voices went quiet in the tavern, and instinctively looked up at the second floor. Filash and Olg followed their gaze, seeing a man step forward. He was of average height with dark tanned skin and shaggy black hair. His beard was scraggy and he wore a deep blue coat that covered his body. In one hand, he held onto a bottle of liquor, and in another, he held onto his captain's hat. The man's eyes looked tired and drunk as he focused on the dwarf and gnome hunters. He stroke his beard, letting out a drunken hiccup.

"Well, if it isn't my good Olg friend, Olg Wildbeer," Thane chuckled at his own joke. "Come up and join the party! We can play cards just like Olg times. Ha! That Olg joke will never grow Olg!"

"That's Captain Withers?" Filash whispered when the pirate walked off. "Uh, he's a very interesting character."

"Don't underestimate him," Olg warned. "Ye remember all o' th' card games I taught ye?"

"I do," Filash nodded, scratching his head.

"Better not keep th' lad waitin'," Olg shrugged. "By th' way, he cheats an' gits away with it."

* * *

 **A/N: And finally, our heroes find themselves face to face with their quarry.**

 **Until next time.**


	15. The Heist of the Chart

A good half hour had passed while Filash played cards with Thane, Olg, and two other pirates that were part of Thane's crew. As the game progressed, he tried to view the pirate captain as a dangerous man, but that wasn't an easy task. Before they started playing, the pirate captain placed his hat on the gnome's head and declared him an honorary member of his crew. Drinks were ordered but Filash was hesitant to drink from it. He only took a few sips, being polite but keeping a clear mind.

Asides from the theft and piracy, the only bad aspect that Filash saw with Thane was his cheating. He exchanged cards with his first mate, Shayla, for a better hand. Shayla was a young human woman with short blonde hair. She wore a white tunic and brown trousers with boots. Despite Thane's behavior, she appeared to be a loyal pirate to him. He gave an order and she followed it without question.

The fifth player of the game, Maverick the quartermaster, was another story. His face was burnt badly from a conflict with a mage, leaving his face scarred terribly. He wore dark clothing, unlike his crew. He was a gruff man who did not care for fun. He rolled his eyes with Thane's cheating ways and grunted when spoken to. Filash thought it was odd that he was constantly glaring at Olg. Strangely enough, Filash thought that there was something familiar to the man but wasn't sure where they have met.

"Ha!" Thane chuckled and put down a winning hand. "Another game won by Captain Thane Withers!"

"Congratulations, Captain," Shayla pushed the gold he won towards him. Maverick grunted.

"Thane, we still need te have that talk." Olg had tried to talk about the Deeprun Chart, but each time, he was interrupted. Filash tried to help, but given his meek nature, was of no assistance.

"We can talk business another time," Thane started to pocket the gold. "I haven't told you about my days as a privateer for the Alliance!"

"Ye told me that story time an' time again," Olg sighed.

"Aye, but I haven't told your kid."

"Me?" Filash raised an eyebrow.

"I mean you," Thane nodded. "I mean, the family resemblance is clear to me!"

"He's a gnome, an' I'm a dwarf," Olg pointed out.

Thane ignored him. "Back durin' the Second War, the Alliance of Lordaeron suffered a major setback when dragons set their fleets aflame. A genius tactician who served under Anduin Lothar himself came up with a brilliant idea to establish a privateer section to make up for the lost fleets. And that's how I came to become a privateer."

"And then after the war, with no more income from the Alliance, you turned to piracy?" Filash asked. Perhaps there was more to Thane than he realized.

"Nay. I was already a pirate before bein' a privateer. I was drafted."

"Oh," Filash sighed in disappointment.

"But I still had my fun!" Thane grabbed his mug and downed the rest of his drink. "If the kid wasn't too young, maybe I would tell about that time Shayla's father and I met these two elven rangers…"

"Captain, I still doubt the truth of that story," Shayla told him.

"Your half-elven blood is the proof."

"I also doubt that."

Olg groaned out and rested his head on the table in defeat. Although the stories were distracting from their true goal of uncovering the Deeprun Chart, Filash always enjoyed a good story. With his storytelling, Thane was both blunt and exaggerated. Not quite on par with Olg's stories, and certainly nowhere near Hemet's stories, but he was a good storyteller. Filash's gnomish insight offered a new approach to finding the truth.

"Captain Withers," Filash started. "Could you tell us the story of how you stole the Deeprun Chart?"

"Ah, that's a story still in progress, but at the very least, I can tell you what has already happened," Thane grinned. "It all started in this here bar after a conflict with the Bloodsail Buccaneers…"

"Good work, lad," Olg whispered to Filash.

"Thank you," Filash smiled.

"I was drinkin' with Maverick and his brother…" Thane stopped, then looked at Maverick. "Where is Curtiss?"

"Dead, Captain," Maverick grunted.

Filash held a gasp back hearing Maverick speak fully. The gnome knew where they have met. He was the cloaked lieutenant of the Defias Survivors. This raised even more questions to the group. How had a member of a criminal gang joined up on a pirate crew? Actually, that made sense, but what didn't make sense was how he chased after Olg instead of his captain, who had the map.

Once more, Maverick glared towards Olg. The dwarf remained stoic as ever, not giving the slightest clue if he knew what Filash knew. If Curtiss was the man that worked with Maverick, then no wonder he was so hateful. Olg killed his brother during their last battle. Now, it was personal for the rogue quartermaster, who now knew where the Deeprun Chart was. Filash was scared on what would happen next.

"On the bright side, you get his share now!" Thane chuckled. Maverick glared at his captain now. "Now, we were drinkin', and then, I let slip of how an Olg dwarf called Olg had a treasure map called the Deeprun Chart. They were very much interested in it, weren't you two?"

"We were, Captain," Maverick nodded.

"So, I thought I would take the two of you out on your first treasure hunt!" Thane continued. "Shayla and I went to Ironforge, ransacked Olg's shop, and found the map."

"But, if you have the map, why haven't you gone on that treasure hunt?" Filash asked.

"When I got back to the Bobbin' Murloc, Maverick and Curtiss were missin'," Thane answered. "Not only that, but the map is in Dwarven! Who reads bloody Dwarven these day? I was lookin' for a translator when Maverick returned yesterday. Still tryin' to find that translator."

"Captain, once more, I am fluent in Dwarven," Shayla reminded him.

"How can a half-elf be fluent in Dwarven?" Shayla sighed.

Filash and Olg looked at each other, then nodded. Olg turned towards Thane. "Ye know I am a dwarf, aye?"

"Aye."

"An' that I am fluent in Dwarven?"

"Aye."

Olg, growing more frustrated, took a deep breath in, then exhaled. "I can translate th' map fer ye."

"You can?!" Thane gasped.

"I can. That's what friends are fer." That last sentence sounded force to Filash.

"Right now, the Deeprun Chart is in my quarters at the Bobbin' Murloc," Thane revealed. "Right in the treasure chest I keep under my bed."

Maverick flipped the table, cards, drinks coins and all, onto Filash and Olg. Filash barely had time to groan from the hit before Maverick ran across the table, his weight crushing down on the two hunters. Filash wheezed out in pain and Olg started to groan. Their newfound foe was now out of the door.

"Captain, what'd I tell you about saying where your treasure chest is?" Shayla sighed. "We have a mutiny on hand."

"He must have gone mad with grief," Thane growled. "Come on! No one's takin' my treasure!"

"Wait a minute!" Filash begged.

It was too late for Filash and Olg. Still trapped under the table, Thane and Shayla both ran over it, crushing the dwarf and gnome even more. Both hunters let out a gasp of pain, and then, the rest of the pirates were out of the room. Filash limply crawled out from under the table, bruised and battered. Olg didn't try to climb out, taking deep breaths. Filash tried to lift the table but lacked the strength to.

"Don't ye worry about me, lad," Olg tried to wave him off.

"But you're trapped!"

"An' I would slow ye down if I could," Olg chuckled. "I'll wait fer Mitaga te check on th' ruckus. Ye go after Maverick an' get my map."

Filash gulped, then ultimately, he nodded. The Deeprun Chart was more important and Olg wasn't in danger. If Maverick escaped with the map, there was no telling what would happen. Filash dashed from the room in pursuit of the pirates. Getting out of the tavern was the easy part. It was traversing Booty Bay, with all the twisted turns and ramps and platforms he was worried about.

Outside of the tavern, Filash caught a glimpse of Thane and Shayla. He followed after them, knowing that they will lead him right to Maverick. Of course, with his tiny legs, Filash struggled with even such a simple task. Yet, he kept up until the reach the bottom tier of Booty Bay, where the docks were. By now, he saw the Bobbing Murloc, and with it, he saw Maverick climbed up the ramp.

Filash pulled out his rifle and took aim. For the briefest of seconds, he had a shot on Maverick's chest. The shot would have sent him down into the ocean, leaving his corpse for the fishes. Yet, the gnome hesitated. Unlike Olg, he had qualms about killing humans over animals. And it was that hesitation that allowed Maveric to escape and hide within the lower decks.

It would come down to Thane and Shayla, Filash realized. They were friendly enough. However, another friend would get in their way.

Seltheas stepped in their way and pulled out his sword.

"Thane Withers," Seltheas called out.

"Oh? And who's this pretty lass?" Thane asked.

"Captain," Shayla sighed and facepalmed.

"There is a bounty on your head," Seltheas told him and assumed a combat stance. "Surrender, or else I will kill you."

"I don't got time for this," Thane pulled out a flintlock pistol and fired it at Seltheas.

"Seltheas!" Filash squealed out when the bullet struck him in his right shoulder.

"That was a warnin' shot!" Thane laughed.

"You actually struck me with that," Seltheas declared. He briefly dropped his stance but raised his sword once more, although his expression was pained. "Your head it is."

"I'm rather attached to my head," Thane threw his pistol into the sea and pulled out a scimitar. "But I'll entertain you."

If Filash had the guts to shoot a man, he would take this chance to sneak aboard the ship. Yet, he couldn't find the strength for such a confrontation. He stood by Shayla and prayed that the conflict would end soon. Thane and Seltheas walked in a circle, ready for battle. Seltheas remained professional while Thane lacked composure. He even stumbled during the walk before regaining his composure.

Yet, right before the battle began, Thane became serious, and Filash realized why Olg thought of him as a danger.

Seltheas charged forward and swung his sword. Although he kept his style, he was more slow with his blow. Thane ducked under the blow and tripped the night elf with a kick to the knee. It would have been easy to finish Seltheas then, but Thane dashed forward towards his ship. Seltheas tried to chase after the pirate captain, but when he got back on his feet, he heard a clicking noise. Filash looked up to see Shayla, now armed with her own gun.

"Not so fast, knife-ears," Shayla ordered. "Sword down, or I shoot."

Seltheas dropped his sword and raised his hands in the air. "Filash, I could use your aid."

Shayla glanced down at Filash, who shook with his rifle in hand. "You want to give it a try?"

During the brief second her gaze was away from the mercenary, Seltheas made his move. He pivoted around and dashed at Shayla with astonishing speed. The pirate fired a bullet but forgot to aim at his new path. The bullet flew past him and the night elf kept running. He didn't hesitate to grab Shayla by both her arms and tossed her off the docks. With a scream, she fell into the ocean. Although alive, she was no longer going to interfere with their plans.

"Next time, take the shot," was all Seltheas said to Filash, who only gulped.

A bright blue light emerged from the deck of the Bobbing Murloc. Seltheas and Filash both caught a glance of the light. Seltheas sighed and picked up his sword. He was no longer motivated to pursue, Filash noticed.

"Is your wound that bad?" Filash asked. "You're slower than usual."

"That blue light was a Hearthstone," Seltheas told the gnome and sighed. "Captain Withers got away."

"No," Filash gasped. "Maverick escaped with the Deeprun Chart."

A dozen pirates emerged from below deck, armed with muskets. They took formation and aimed at Filash and Seltheas. The gnome dropped his rifle out of fear while Seltheas simply tossed his sword aside. Thane stood behind his crew, arms crossed while his scimitar still in hand. His cheerful and foolish facade was now gone. They were now dealing with Captain Withers, the feared pirate captain.

"Olg is goin' to have some explainin' to do," Thane shook his head. "You two will come aboard and wait for him, just like the rest of us."

* * *

 **A/N: Happy New Year!**

 **It's official. I'm back from my unannounced hiatus. What started a small break ended up turning into a longer one to adjust to college. But I am back, and I am ready to finish this story, once and for all.  
**

 **Until next time.**


	16. After The Chart

Throughout his journey to find the Deeprun Chart, Filash had many close calls. There were many times he felt helpless and thought that he was going to die. Yet, in the end, something had came up at the last minute to save his life in an unexpecting way. It was starting to become a habit that he slightly enjoyed.

Yet, as a prisoner to the crew of the Bobbing Murloc, Filash knew that there was no help coming.

The pirates disarmed Filash and Seltheas before bringing them onboard. The were bound to the mast with a thick rope coiled around their whole body. Filash was lifted up from the ground by several feet when he was restrained, so his feet wobbled helplessly in the air. Seltheas was on the other side of the mast. His armor had been taken off by the pirates, leaving him with plain clothing. He was bleeding from the bullet wound but kept his composure.

Filash thought for sure that what the pirates were doing was illegal, even in Booty Bay. He tried to call out to a bruiser patrol for help but the goblins ignored him. Shayla, who was pulled back on board and dried off, explained that as long as they were on the ship, no laws applied to them. Filash gulped in fear. The pirates were able to get away with murder as long as it took place on board the Bobbing Murloc.

"This is it, isn't it?" Filash asked Seltheas. "This is how we die."

"It would appear that way."

Filash sighed. "Seltheas, why are you a mercenary?"

There was a pause from Seltheas. "Why do you want to know?"

"We're going to die. Don't you want to tell your story one last time?"

"I have no story," Seltheas grunted.

"Everyone has a story,"

Seltheas was silent for a few more seconds. "I was bored."

"You were bored?" Filash asked in confusion.

"I was a barely into adulthood when the Burning Legion first invaded and I found myself thrusted into combat," Seltheas explained. "I was scared by my enemy, yet, it was exciting and thrilling. After the Burning Legion was driven away, there was very little left for me to do. My people went into isolation in our forests. I trained with my blade over that time, but when your lifespan expands over thousands of years, it gets boring fast."

"I couldn't imagine being alive for that long," Filash noted.

"Eventually, I set out on my own, looking for worthy opponents to fight. When the rest of the world was revealed to me, I took up work as a mercenary."

"And you took a bounty on an elderly dwarf," Filash pointed out. "Why?"

"Finding bounties is hard these days, both for the job and the actual person. I knew about Thane before, but with him being at sea, it was hard to track him down. I tried to apply to go through the Dark Portal but there were restrictions. After my application was rejected, I found out about your bounty, posted by the Alliance. I thought that if I brought him in, maybe the Alliance would let me through the portal."

"I'm sorry to hear about how hard work is," Filash sighed.

Filash never thought that he would get to know Seltheas as well as he did now. Although he might not have been more sympathetic from his background, he had his purpose in life and his dreams as well. An obstacle stood in the way of seeking glory through the Dark Portal and he intended to go through with his plan. If that didn't leave them oppose, the gnome would have supported him.

"And what of you?" Seltheas asked, surprising Filash. "I have roamed the lands for years and never once in my travels have I met a gnome who thrived to live in the outdoors. What makes you different from your peers?"

"I never had the same love for inventing as my people do," Filash started with his story. "I just loved listening to the stories of hunters like Hemet. It sounded like an exciting life, so that was my reason to start out with."

"And then it changed?"

"It became more about pride later on with everyone telling me that a gnome can't be a hunter," Filash chuckled. "That just made me want to hunt even more. And with Olg as my teacher, I became a hunter. And I hope one day that I will inspire other gnomes to take up a rifle and head outdoors."

"A worthy dream," Seltheas complimented.

"Thank you," Filash whispered.

A commotion on the deck broke out with the crew rushing out, muskets at the ready. Shayla took command until Thane climbed up the stairs that led down below deck. Filash turned his head towards Booty Bay to see Olg on the docks, looking up at the Bobbing Murloc. The gnome gave a quiet cheer to see his mentor. Perhaps they would come out off of this ship with their lives.

"No sign of Mitaga," Seltheas commented. "Olg has a plan."

"Er, actually, Mitaga might still be getting gryphons," Filash admitted. "We may have planned on leaving you behind."

"Smart thinking."

"Uh, thanks."

"Olg!" Thane called out. "You have some questions to answer for!"

"An' I will, once ye show me th' Deeprun Chart fer translation!" Olg called back. "Stop hidin' it an' show it te me!"

"Captain, must it be necessary for you two to shout at each other?" Shayla asked. "We have guns on him just like the others. We can take him hostage."

"Never underestimate an old man, Shayla. They will pull whatever tricks they have because they have nothing left to lose. We bring him on board and he will go down swingin'."

"Captain," Shayla sighed.

"We don't have the Chart anymore!" Thane resumed the loud conversation. "Maverick stole it!"

"Damn it!" Olg cursed. "De ye have any idea what this means?"

Thane took a moment to think. "Maverick is going to have all of the treasure for himself?"

"Yer an idiot, lad," Olg sighed. "The Deeprun Chart was never a treasure map! It's a map that shows tunnels that were once present when th' Deeprun Tram was once constructed. They are sealed but they can be excavated."

"What's the Deeprun Tram?" Filash heard Thane whisper to Shayla.

"It's a tram system that connects Stormwind and Ironforge, Captain," Shalya answered.

"Aha! So there must be tunnels that lead to the treasuries in both Stormwind and Ironforge! It is a treasure map!"

Filash heard both Olg and Shayla sigh at Thane's logic.

"Alright, I'll be blunt with ye," Olg took a breath in, then exhaled. "Yer quartermaster was with th' Defias Survivors. He has a map that can infiltrate th' Deeprun Tram."

"Sounds like a good way to smuggle in and out of the major cities," Thane commented.

Filash gasped audibly. "Uh, I think I know what's going to happen. The Survivors will launch an attack on Stormwind or Ironforge or maybe both through the Deeprun Tram. We saw how security was, Olg. Imagine the casualties."

Olg looked in horror at the prospect of an invasion, one that was only possible because of his chart. Several of the pirates looked uncomfortable as well. Even Thane was taken aback by the development. The captain took a few moments to think in deep contemplation. Then, he chuckled.

"You know, Maverick did stab me in the back," Thane said after he chuckled. "He needs to pay. Olg, if I tell you where his Hearthstone was set to, could you remember the closest tunnel is?"

Olg thought for a second. "Aye, but I want ye te release yer prisoners. We're goin' te need their help."

"Release them, Shayla," Thane ordered. "Maverick had his stone set to Goldshire."

"Damn it," Olg muttered. "The nearest entrance is up on th' mountain by Stormwind."

"Do you have any idea how long of a march that would be?" Shayla asked, freeing Seltheas and Filash with a swing of a scimitar to cut through the rope.

"Don't get us started on it," Filash groaned.

"I had another gnome arrange fer three gryphons te fly us anywhere," Olg revealed. "She an' Filash can ride with Seltheas an' I."

"Leavin' me with the third gryphon!" Thane chuckled, marching down on dock. "Brilliant thinkin', my Olg friend!"

"Olg, are you sure that this is what we should do?" Filash asked when he finally stepped off the ship. "Why not tell the Alliance?"

"The Alliance has no reason to believe you after your treason," Seltheas answered, walking behind Filash. "Yet, if you stop an invasion, that will clear any crimes for sure."

"Another reason why I'll be joinin' you!" Thane laughed.

Seltheas sighed and looked away from the others. Filash realized that by aiding them, the night elf was sacrificing much to help the group. They were all wanted by the Alliance, meaning that it would be in his best interest to sell them out. Instead, he was willing to help them clear their name. Filash knew that Seltheas was a trusted friend, and now, he was about to prove his loyalty.

There were several preparations to make before reuniting with Mitaga. Filash was armed with his rifle once more and waited with Thane. Olg left to inform Mitaga of the change in plans so that he wouldn't slow down the others by walking back together. The pirate crew tended to Seltheas' injury and returned his armor and sword. Filash noticed that the night elf was still in pain. It was definitely going to be an hindrance during the upcoming battle.

Thane bid a fond farewell with his crew. Most of the deckhands waved him off while Shayla remained professional at the helm. Of course she never objected to Thane's departure. If anything happened to him, she would become the captain of the Bobbing Murloc. It was a smart move, and whether Thane was aware of it or not, Filash couldn't tell. The captain was back to displaying a playful demeanor. The gnome wasn't sure how helpful Thane would be in the upcoming fight. Then again, the pirate certainly held his own against Seltheas, and if they were fighting the Defias Survivors, they needed all the help they could get.

The trio returned to the Salty Sailor Inn. Thane led the way upstairs, going past the bar and to the top. Crossing over a quick bridge, the three arrived at the gryphon aviary. Three gryphons were saddled and ready to fly. Having lived in Ironforge for most of his life, Filash knew about gryphons. Yet, seeing one up close, he saw closehand how majestic and intimidating such a beast was. They were too worthy to be hunted. Olg was mounted on one of the gryphons and Mitaga was by his side.

Mitaga smiled to see Filash. "Oh good! When Olg told me that you were captured by pirates, I was really worried, but it doesn't look like your hurt."

"I'm glad too," Filash sighed in relief.

"Well, get up behind me, lad," Olg commanded. "The Defias Survivors might have a headstart on us. The sooner we git te 'em, th' better."

"Filash will fly with me," Seltheas declared and mounted on one of the gryphons. "He has proven his loyalty."

"Er," Olg raised a hand.

"I'll ride with Olg then!" Mitaga hopped on the gryphon with Olg.

"You all handle your own rides," Thane grinned. "I get my own gryphon!"

Thane chuckled and mounted the last gryphon. Filash, glad to have earned Seltheas' trust, joined the night elf on his gryphon and held onto him tightly. Olg led the charge with his gryphon, which flew away. Thane and Seltheas flew after them. Filash thought it was breathtaking to fly away in the night sky. Booty Bay was left in the dust as the group flew north. The final showdown between the hunters and the Defias Survivors was approaching to determine the fate of Stormwind of Ironforge.

* * *

 **A/N: Apologies for the delay. The power went out at my dorm, and my laptop ran out of battery life before I could have posted it. Here it is though.**

 **Until next time.**


End file.
